The chance of getting killed in a traffic accident is like 1000 times higher than getting killed by a terrorist. People shrug that off with no problems. Sure, we could outlaw cars and the world would be a lot safer when traffic is concerned, but that's just not practical or wanted.
You´re not really comparing the willful attempt at destroying others life and property with the means of getting around, right? Traffic accidents are, as the name implies, accidents, whereas crimes such as the attack in London are wanton attempts at destroying peace. There´s a difference here, between a traffic accident and a criminal attack. It´s not like those animals accidently ran the soldier over and his head kinda fell off. If someone´s out to injure or kill others there must be means available to citizens to stop these people, if it´s the only way.
If it is no more than an excuse, as you say, then I think the link you make between radical and moderate Islam is unfounded.
Then the fault lies with the radical nutjobs, not with the moderate muslims. I don't see anyone calling on moderate christians to condemn christian extremists, simply because we all know what normal moderate christians are like, so we know we don't have to be afraid of them. If people can't make the distinction that extremists are nothing like normal muslims, that's their fault. It shouldn't be the duty of muslims to convince people that they're not going to kill them.
It´s not "just an excuse", it´s a means for people with influence and ambitions to mobilise others in order to achieve a goal. It´s the same as with the Crusades. Its main goals were of geopolitical nature, but the pointless differences between the different religions were the catalyst needed to mobilise poor sods from Europe to die in the "Holy Land". What I want to say is that there´s a connection between religious fanatism and political goals and religion is an easy way of getting others to die for your cause, thus making it a guilty part of the grand scheme. Where does the "moderate" crowd fit in, you ask?
Well, it´s extremely easy to turn the moderate ones into fanatics. It´s no surprise that even people born and raised in Europe sometimes "find" religion and due to certain events turn from "moderates" to "extremists". Religion caters to people in need and easily creates an "outside vs. insider"-atmosphere that can easily be abused by manipulative "leaders" or "teachers". That´s why it´s important for the moderates to cry out about such barbarity and distance themselves from it. For example when we had that appaling incident with the Mohamed drawings everyone was scared of reprisals and politicians even urged newspapers not to print them. Normally, such a clear breach of basic laws should be opposed by anyone identifying themselves with our values. Instead of supporting the newspapers right to print these drawings, we had a loud crowd of "offended" Muslims clashing with police, destroying property and injuring others and on the other side we had a group of silent bystanders not acting because they either don´t care about this bullying or even silently support it.
That´s the reason I´m being dumbfounded by the passive behaviour of the majority of Europeans Muslims. There are people representing their faith to the rest of the world who have views that clash with our basic values and rights and yet they´re silent about it.
Most Christians don´t seem to have that problem, as it´s part of our culture to critize people doing immoral things. If there´s a big scandal about the Catholic Church you´ll hear from people who are part of that group condemning these actions (i.e. child molestation cases always generate a big outcry even from the Catholic community itself). Sure you´ll have the blind sheep following those leading them, but in our age and society people, regardless of their religion or origin, should be appalled by any form of extremism and should loudly condemn those threatening and destroying others life. It´s something every educated citizen should do, especially if those extremists say they represent
your faith or political position.