The News of the Death of Osama Bin Laden, by Gill Hicks

On hearing this breaking news my immediate thoughts were not ones of rejoice, in fact they were of ones of great concern.

My fear is that Bin Laden will become a greater inspiration in death than in life to many of those throughout the world who choose destruction and the murder of innocents in a futile effort to further their cause.

One man’s death is sadly NOT the death or the end of the ideology that he was a or the figurehead for. It is my own belief that an idea / an ideology cannot be ‘killed’ – but rather an idea needs to be met with another idea, constructive rather than destructive, one that can challenge, can plant a seed of doubt, has the power to reveal a flaw and most importantly be persuasive and influential.

My focus, and that of my organisation, M.A.D. for Peace, is to build a foundation for lasting, sustainable peace.

M.A.D. (Making A Difference ) for Peace exists to communicate the importance of our individual responsibility in creating a world in which extreme conflict and its human consequences are ended.

We believe that Peace starts with YOU.

I start each day by thanking each of those brave and remarkable people who did everything humanly possible in London on July 7, 2005 to save my life, who risked their own lives to do so and who never gave up on me.

I owe them everything – every day that I have had, every joy every tear every smile and laugh, every bit of life that I have enjoyed I credit to them.

The depths of my gratitude are immeasurable.

I stand, on prosthetic legs, metaphorically shoulder to shoulder with all those who have lost people they love, who have been maimed and who have experienced the horrific effects of the hatred and distorted belief of those who support terrorism.

I have witnessed and been the recipient of the brilliance of humanity – and it is based on the actions of those paramedics, police, doctors, nurses and physio’s – and my family and dear friends – and the many emails I receive every day from people who tell me their story, what they are doing to make a positive contribution that I believe Peace is possible – and I live in the hope that we will all know the confidence of a life without violent extremism, without terrorism.

( Dr ) Gill Hicks MBE