Majority Believe New Attacks Are Imminent

August 28, 2003
By Kevin Johnson, USA TODAY

WASHINGTON — As the second anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks nears, a majority of Americans are seriously concerned about the nation's vulnerability to terrorism and believe that new attacks are likely and imminent.

In a USA TODAY/CNN/Gallup Poll, 80% say associates of fugitive al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden are in the country and poised to launch major strikes at any time. And 54% say they think that it's likely that terrorists could strike within the next several weeks. (Related item: Poll results)

The poll results come as the nation enters the Labor Day weekend, when AAA predicts that 33.4 million Americans will be traveling, an increase of 1.8% over last year. Although AAA says that the vast majority, 28.2 million, will be traveling by car, more than one in four indicate they will be going to cities for the holiday.

The government has not issued a new terrorism alert for the holiday, a precaution that the Department of Homeland Security has sometimes taken in the past. And there is no new intelligence indicating a strike is imminent.

The nation's threat level remains at yellow, meaning an elevated risk of attack.

Nevertheless, law enforcement authorities say the poll results appear to reflect a nation on edge as a result of the war in Iraq, terrorist strikes abroad and the upcoming 9/11 anniversary.

"The concern you see reflected is partly due to the constant news people are receiving about terror combined with the continuing violence in Iraq," says Bob Ricks, commissioner of the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety.

Miami Police Chief John Timoney says, "I think much of the country is beginning to think like we do: The further away you get from the last one (attack), the closer you are to the next one."

Although Homeland Security has not raised the threat warning, Timoney says local law enforcement officials continue to receive reports that indicate terrorists are active and may be looking at possible targets in U.S. cities.

No specific target has been identified, Timoney says. "But it looks like something is going on. There's some activity."

The government has raised the national threat level four times since last fall, when the color-coded warning system was established. The last time was in May shortly after al-Qaeda terrorists launched attacks in Saudi Arabia in which 75 people, including eight Americans, were killed.

In issuing higher-level threat warnings, the government has so far made only vague references to possible targets or methods of attacks.

An overwhelming majority of poll respondents, 86%, say it's likely that suicide bombers will carry out attacks against buildings or other public places in the USA in the next 10 years.

"I seriously doubt we'll see anything like the magnitude of the attacks on New York and Washington, D.C.," Oklahoma's Ricks says.

But the effects of the 9/11 attacks linger, he says. And the unease reflected in poll numbers is a sign of that.

"We still seem to have a bunker-down type of mentality," Ricks says. "And that's a primary goal of terror: to disrupt our lives. The events of Sept. 11 were so dramatic, I think the country still has a hangover from going through that experience."

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2003-08-28-terror-strike_x.htm

USA TODAY/CNN/Gallup poll results Below are the results of the latest USATODAY/CNN/Gallup poll asking Americans their opinion on terrorism and the Patriot Act. 1. How worried are you that you or someone in your family will become a victim of terrorism -- very worried, somewhat worried, not too worried, or not worried at all?   Very worried Some-what worried Not too worried Not worried at all Know a victim (vol.) No opinion 2003 Aug 25-26 11 30 33 26 * -- 2003 Jul 18-20 ^ 6 24 38 32 * * 2003 Apr 22-23 ^ 8 26 39 26 * 1 2003 Feb 7-9 ^ 13 35 34 18 * * 2003 Jan 23-25 8 31 36 25 -- * 2002 Apr 22-24 8 27 39 25 1 * 2002 Mar 4-7 12 33 32 23 * * 2002 Feb 4-6 ^ 8 27 39 25 -- 1 2001 Nov 2-4 11 28 34 26 -- 1 2001 Oct 19-21 † 13 30 33 23 * 1 2001 Oct 11-14 † 18 33 35 14 * * 2001 Oct 5-6 † 24 35 27 14 * * 2001 Sep 21-22 † 14 35 32 18 * 1 2001 Sep 14-15 † 18 33 35 13 * 1 2001 Sep 11 † ‡ 23 35 24 16 1 1 2000 Apr 7-9 ^ 4 20 41 34 -- 1 ^ Asked of a half sample. † WORDING: How worried are you that you or someone in your family will become a victim of a terrorist attack -- very worried, somewhat worried, not too worried, or not worried at all? ‡ Based on one night poll of national adults with a margin of error of ±4 pct. pts. 2. How likely is it that there will be further acts of terrorism in the United States over the next several weeks -- very likely, somewhat likely, not too likely, or not at all likely?                                                Very likely Somewhat likely Not too likely Not at all likely No opinion 2003 Aug 25-26 ^* 10 44 35 10 1 2003 Jul 18-20 ^ 7 33 41 16 3 2003 May 19-21 12 45 32 8 3 2003 Mar 22-23 21 52 20 6 1 2003 Feb 7-9 ^ 16 50 23 9 2 2002 Sep 13-16 ^ 12 44 31 10 3 2002 Jul 5-8 ^ 15 41 30 12 2 2002 May 20-22 ^ 21 44 25 7 3 2002 Mar 8-9 ^ 9 43 32 13 3 2001 Dec 14-16 ^ 17 45 27 8 3 2001 Nov 2-4 ^ 24 50 16 6 4 2001 Oct 19-21 ^ 40 45 10 3 2 ^ Asked of a half sample. *Based on 514 national adults. Margin of error: ±5 percentage points 3. How likely is it that there will be further acts of terrorism in your community over the next several weeks -- very likely, somewhat likely, not too likely, or not at all likely?                                        Very likely Somewhat likely Not too likely Not at all likely No opinion 2003 Aug 25-26* 4 10 34 51 1 2002 Jul 5-8 4 13 34 48 1 2002 Mar 8-9 2 10 35 52 1 2001 Nov 2-4 3 20 41 32 4 * Based on 495 national adults. Margin of error: ±5 percentage points 4. How much confidence do you have in the U.S. government to protect its citizens from future terrorist attacks -- a great deal, a fair amount, not very much, or none at all?                 Great deal Fair amount Not very much None at all No opinion 2003 Aug 25-26 23 53 19 5 * 2003 Feb 7-9 29 53 14 4 * 2002 Sep 2-4 24 56 16 3 1 2002 Jun 7-8 27 49 17 5 2 2002 May 20-22 22 54 18 5 1 2002 Mar 8-9 24 58 15 2 1 2001 Sep 14-15 41 47 9 2 1 5. Just your best guess, do you think there are terrorists associated with Osama bin Laden who are currently in the United States and have the resources to launch a major terrorist attack against the U.S. at any time, or not?                 Yes, are terrorists No, are not No opinion 2003 Aug 25-26 80 17 3 6. In the next few years, do you think the United States’ efforts against terrorism will – or will not – require the U.S. to send troops to fight wars in other countries as it did in Iraq and Afghanistan?                 Yes, will No, will not No opinion 2003 Aug 25-26 79 18 3 7. Do you think each of the following is likely or not likely to happen in the United States in the next 10 years?  A. A terrorist attack using a chemical or biological weapon                 Likely Not likely No opinion 2003 Aug 25-26 67 31 2 B. A terrorist attack using a nuclear weapon                 Likely Not likely No opinion 2003 Aug 25-26 35 63 2 C. Suicide bombing attacks against buildings or other public places                 Likely Not likely No opinion 2003 Aug 25-26 86 13 1 8. Do you think this is likely to happen – within the next six months, within the next year, within the next two to five years, or within the next six to ten years? A. A terrorist attack using a chemical or biological weapon   Likely to happen Not likely No opinion           The next six months The next  year The next two-five years The next six-ten years Unsure when     2003 Aug 25-26 2 9 39 14 3 31 2 B. A terrorist attack using a nuclear weapon   Likely to happen Not likely No opinion           The next six months The next  year The next two-five years The next six-ten years Unsure when     2003 Aug 25-26 1 3 15 15 1 63 2 C. Suicide bombing attacks against buildings or other public places   Likely to happen Not likely No opinion           The next six months The next  year The next two-five years The next six-ten years Unsure when     2003 Aug 25-26 10 19 42 12 3 13 1 9. Which comes closer to your view: the government should take all steps necessary to prevent additional acts of terrorism in the U.S. even if it means your basic civil liberties would be violated, (or) the government should take steps to prevent additional acts of terrorism but not if those steps would violate your basic civil liberties?                                 Take steps, even if civil liberties violated Take steps but not violate civil liberties No opinion 2003 Aug 25-26 ^* 29 67 4 2003 Apr 22-23 33 64 3 2002 Sep 2-4 ^ 33 62 5 2002 Jun 21-23 40 56 4 2002 Jan 25-27 47 49 4 ^ Asked of a half sample. *Based on 514 national adults. Margin of error: ±5 percentage points 10. Do you think the Bush administration has gone too far, has been about right, or has not gone far enough in restricting people’s civil liberties in order to fight terrorism?   Too far About right Not far enough No opinion 2003 Aug 25-26* 21 55 19 5 2002 Sep 2-4 15 55 26 4 2002 Jun 21-23 11 60 25 4 *Based on 514 national adults. Margin of error: ±5 percentage points 11. As you may know, shortly after the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, a law called the Patriot Act was passed which makes it easier for the federal government to get information on suspected terrorists through court-ordered wiretaps and searches.  How familiar are you with the Patriot Act – very familiar, somewhat familiar, not too familiar, or not at all familiar?   Very familiar Somewhat familiar Not too familiar Not at all familiar No opinion 2003 Aug 25-26 10 40 25 25 -- Based on 495 national adults. Margin of error: ±5 percentage points 12. Based on what you have read or heard, do you think the Patriot Act goes too far, is about right, or does not go far enough in restricting people's civil liberties in order to fight terrorism?   Too far About right Not far enough No opinion 2003 Aug 25-26 22 48 21 9 Based on 495 national adults. Margin of error: ±5 percentage points Results are based on telephone interviews with 1,009 national adults, aged 18+, conducted August 25-26, 2003. For results based on the total sample of national adults, one can say with 95% confidence that the margin of sampling error is ±3 percentage points.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/polls/tables/live/0828poll.htm