ALTHOUGH we have been warned to expect acts of terrorism and the threat level is high, nevertheless when attacks happen such as the Westminster atrocity on March 22 it still comes as a shock.

Feelings are thrown into turmoil and hearts go out to the many innocent people caught up in such horror. Of course, media focus was initially turned to the murder of Police Constable Keith Palmer who was assigned to guard duty at a vitally important gate to the Houses of Parliament.

Despite the fact any terrorist getting past that gate could do immense harm, PC Palmer was expected to do his duty without special protection and without a firearm. The fact that his murderer was shot only a few yards beyond where PC Palmer fell dying is apparently down to pure chance. There happened to be an armed plain clothes police officer in the vicinity who was actually acting as bodyguard to the Secretary of State for Defence, but this was pure coincidence.

If I was a member of PC Palmer’s family and grieving for his loss, I would want a question to be answered. Why was a single unarmed London 'bobby' given the duty of guarding that gate and therefore handing any terrorist a very tempting opportunity?

It is the police themselves who are continually warning us all to be alert and prepared for terrorist activity. How could they have overlooked what appears to be the obvious need to have not just one but several officers protecting that gate, all of whom should surely have been carrying firearms? Hopefully, in time, the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police will give an answer.

As we await this we continue to salute the bravery of PC Palmer, who did his duty to the very best of his ability, despite being so inadequately equipped to repel a terrorist armed with a knife and intent upon murder.

I find it very difficult to understand what stirs up so much hatred in the heart and mind of Adrian Ajao, the man who killed PC Palmer and three other innocent people during the Westminster attack. We have become familiar with the expression that people that commit terrorism have been 'radicalised' but the degree of hatred that they must allow to take over control of their thoughts and actions is astonishing.

In contrast to such hate come the inspiring words and actions of a truly remarkable lady. Melissa Cochran came to England from Utah, USA, as a tourist with her husband, Kurt, to celebrate 25 years of happy marriage. Ajao ran them down with a hired car on Westminster Bridge, killing Kurt and injuring Melissa in a callous and cowardly act of indiscriminate violence.

As she grieved for her husband and began her recovery from severe injury, Melissa made it abundantly clear that she had “no hate in her heart”. These words stood out for me in contrast to the feelings that must have driven Ajao to commit such heinous crimes on that fateful day.

Melissa had every reason to hate the man who had robbed her of the husband she clearly adored and had caused her so much pain and injury. I believe that Melissa understands that hatred is a destructive and corrupting emotion.

It is Easter and Christians will be recalling how in the agony of his crucifixion Jesus called for his executioners to be forgiven “for they know not what they do”. Our Lord showed no hatred despite being innocent when nailed to a cross.

The Easter message is one of triumph over sin and hatred.