I think the fact that the potential victims in this attack were mainly young girls is going to open a lot of people's eyes.... I'm sure there will be the usual "oh, he wasn't really a *muslim* terrorist/he was mentally ill/he was just a lone wolf" apologists, but deliberately targeting children crosses a big line in a lot of people's minds. I think a lot of those on the fence regarding islam and terrorism will find themselves pretty firmly in one camp or the other.
The point of the majority of terrorists today WANT people to get angry at Islam, to drive a wedge between Islam and everyone else. To kick off a global war, which the fanatics believe they will win. You can imagine their frustration. The point is intentionally to open people's eyes and get everyone angry at all people of the Islamic faith. To declare a crusade against Islam to unify the Islamic world under a Wahabbi/Sunni caliphate.
Instead...
"Our particular view of our religion commands us to do terrible things to you because you're an unbeliever and you need to start a war with us to unite the entire Islamic world!"
- No no. Racism is what causes this. And Islamophobia. Plus colonialism, gluten, poverty and lack of education!
"Hey, I have a degree in mechanical engineering and my family has a pretty prestigious engineering firm! We haven't been owned by any foreign country in a hundred years, and that was the friggin Ottoman Empire!"
- Yep. Racism. They brainwashed you into thinking you have free will and that racism isn't why you're killing children.
"No, you morons, this is jihad! Declare war on me! Oppress me! Strike me down and I will arise a thousand fold! Help us unite Islam with your hatred! My people will enslave you for the rest of eternity!"
- Silly person of color. We pretend you never had slaves and ignore all your current slaves. I'm sure you really would never slave anyone.
"Allah damn it! You turnip brained moron. I. want. to. kill. or. enslave. you. ALL OF YOU. EVERYONE. EVERYWHERE. Especially those annoying Kurds. And Shiites. Don't get me started on the Druze."
- But all persons of color are the same! That's what diversity means. We all believe the exact same thing with no tolerance for anything contrary to our ideology.
"Then why do you put up with my ideology of killing your men, stealing your horses and raping your women? And probably your sheep."
- Because silly, you don't REALLY mean any of that. Despite your draconian conservative ideology, you believe in equality, diversity and coexistence despite everything you say. Racism is to blame for anything bad you do.
"Fine. I'm just going to keep blowing things up until you come to your senses!"
Essentially the war on terrorism in a nutshell.