As a German/European I probably have a different view on terrorism than you (US) have.
Terrorism has always been around, even in Europe, see IRA, ETA and RAF. It's not new.
But suddenly people seem to believe that when they give up all their freedom, have their
bank accounts monitored and their phone calls recorded that they would be safe.
To the IRA, ETA, and RAF, I would add the Red Brigade, PFLP, ASALA, Abu Nidal, CSPPA, Carlos the Jackal, Red September, etc.
People complain about airport security these days. Back in the 1980s, I took a flight from Amsterdam to JFK. Before you could get on the plane, you went into a room where you had to identify your bag. Security personnel then unpacked and searched your bag in front of you. After you went through a metal detector, you then had a full pat down body search. Once you were through security, you had to remain in a sealed room prior to boarding the plane.
I'm pretty happy all I have to do these days is take off my shoes.
It wasn't very long ago when a bomb when exploded on the streets of Paris every month. We had the airport attacks in Rome and Vienna with large numbers of victims, Lockerbie, the Berlin disco bombing, the Munich Olympics, I recall a couple of French trains were blown up, a bomb at a train platform in Bologna that killed large number of people, the OPEC attack, etc. Not to mention a significant number of airline hijackings, and even a cruise ship.
I might be wrong, but I'd be willing to wager that terrorism in Europe was far worse in the 1970-1990s than in the 2000s. People who weren't around then don't seem to realize that terrorism isn't new, and a real problem for a long time. And I suggest, it has been a much bigger problem in the past.
That's not to minimize the current situation, but let's not go chicken little either.