The sounds of evil men ripped through the heart of London Thursday.

The percussion gave the British and their American allies a gut-check in the ongoing war on terror.

Although the claims could not immediately be confirmed, groups hiding behind the name of Islam proudly claimed responsibility for several bombs that killed dozens and injured hundreds in the British capital.

Although the scope was much smaller, the series of bomb blasts conjured up memories of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on America when, after the first hijacked jet struck the World Trade Center, the morning continued to unravel as events seemed to keep getting worse.

The fact that al-Qaida and other Islamic extremists still have the capability of pulling off a concerted series of attacks should not surprise us.

Often watching from the relative comfort of our living rooms we get the impression that our enemy is not terribly smart.

"What kind of a group would commit suicide bombings?" one might ask of the terrorists. The answer is quite simple: Highly motivated and determined ones.

Planning a successful attack takes cunning and intelligence. We should never underestimate our enemy.

And they should know that they underestimate American and British resolve.

Each time the terrorists strike on U.S. or British soil, the result isn't to turn us away from the battle. When confronted with evil, we want to destroy it once and for all.

Thursday's attack was the first such on British soil since Germany bombed the English countryside during World War II. We overcame a determined, hate-filled enemy in that war and we'll do the same in this one, too.

Make no mistake about it: We're at war. And, although the bombers may feel good about winning the latest skirmish, the war has just begun.