You make a good point when you question how "crafty" the terrorist are.

But then, we generally attribute exaggerated strength, intelligence and guile to any antagonist we don't understand.

Joe McCarthy had large numbers convinced that his, 141, 87, 53, etc. known communists in the State Dept. were manipulating the entire federal government, the army, foreign affairs, etc. If this had only been partially true then communist must have been the most intelligent and effective people on the planet.

When you watch sci-fi note the aliens have superior technology, usually expanded skulls to house larger and superior brains. Certainly "they" must be smarter than us.

When we look at the world around us, the things we fear are those things that we do not know, and hence do not understand. Thus all snakes are poisonous to some people and things that go bump in the night become a source of terror.

Examine what terror is. It is the response of the weak against what the terrorist acknowledges as superior power. It is the sneak attack, barbarity committed for attention and press coverage. It is never standing up and being counted, facing your enemy head on or any confrontation of any sort. Even political debate is eschewed for press releases or tv spots.

FEAR is best defined as False Evidence Appearing Real. And FEAR is the only currency available to the terrorist.

Publius