Now, that's a fair question.

Here are some ephemisms, any way to avoid naming the enemy:

1. Terrorist: Considering the last 20 years, this blurs the cause with historic incidents by anarchists and the IRA.

2. Militant: Confers a vague possibility of fighting for freedom.

3. Fundamentalist. Avoids naming the religion's actual definition.

4. Insurgent. Like Militant, this euphemism implies a reasonable opposition.

5. Extremist. Incomplete term with no subject. Extreme what?

What ever you do, don't say the M word that is the lowest common denominator of the 5 groups.

Here's another way the media get to avoid the M word: Rohingya.