SIR – In an interesting recent article in the New Statesman about terrorism, John Gray quotes from a book by Richard English which highlights some of what he calls the “inherent rewards” of terrorism gained by members of the IRA.  According to some former members, involvement in ops brought adventure, excitement, celebrity in local communities and sometimes sexual opportunities. Richard English believes finding out how terrorism works requires: “treating it as the product of motivations and arguments  which deserve serious, respectful engagement”. 
He is convinced understanding how far terrorism work can greatly improve the struggle against it. His concludes, after interviews with people who have been involved in terrorist acts, that they  tend to display the same levels of rationality as do other people... they tend to be psychologically normal rather than  abnormal... they are not characterised by mental illness or psychopathology. 
There have been several appalling terrorist attacks in France and Germany  recently;  some psychologists have commented that mental instability is a factor in encouraging people to engage in this type of warfare.  I do not believe so and hope, as many do, that we can improve our ability to minimise the human fallout from it.
Wendy Hands
Upton-upon-Severn