The arrest of a number of young fanatics who security forces say were planning a spectacularly gruesome act of terrorism on Australian soil — the beheading of an innocent victim — sent shockwaves through the nation.

It also served to shore-up Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s decision to commit Australia to a major role in the international effort to rid the world of these monsters.

Make no mistake, ISIL’s tentacles have well and truly reached Australia and although we might think we’re immune from its evil it would be foolish to simply look the other way and wait for it all to go away.

That’s why the decision to send Australian military personnel to the Middle East was right and it is why we must play our part in this conflict for as long as it takes.

At home it’s a fight of a different kind, but with the same objective — to identify potential terrorists and thwart acts of terrorism.

The police ticked that box effectively with Thursday’s raids, but this is a battle that can also be fought by us as individuals and as communities.

We must remain vigilant in the interest of public safety as the open letter to Victorians from the Victoria Police Multi-Faith Council urges us to do on page 19 of today’s paper.

However, we must also be careful to not over-react.

It is important not to forget that we are one of the most fortunate countries on earth, not least because we have successfully created a multi-faith, multi-cultural and peaceful society.

It doesn’t matter who you are or what you believe as long as you respect the foundations on which Australia is built — democracy, freedom and tolerance.

Despite the events of the past few days and the ongoing threat that ISIL poses, it is absolutely crucial that we strengthen this foundation all the more because it is by far the greatest weapon we possess.