Americans' Terrorism Worries Five Years After 9/11

GALLUP NEWS SERVICE

PRINCETON, NJ -- Monday marks the fifth anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks against the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. A recent USA Today/Gallup poll finds more than 4 in 10 Americans saying they are worried about terrorism, and half saying a terrorist attack is likely to occur in the United States during the next several weeks. Both measures show little change over the course of this year. An analysis based on yearly averages of these two questions show little change in the past three years in Americans' perceptions that a terrorist attack will occur in this country, but a slight, gradual increase over this time in Americans' terrorism concerns. Even though Republicans consistently rank terrorism as a greater problem for the country and see it as an important government priority, Republicans and Democrats do not differ in their concerns about terrorism or their perceptions that an attack on the United States is imminent.

Worry About Terrorism

The poll, conducted Aug. 18-20, 2006, finds that 45% of Americans say they are "very" (11%) or "somewhat" (34%) worried that they or a member of their family will become a victim of terrorism. A majority of Americans say they are "not too" (34%) or "not at all" (21%) worried. This poll was conducted shortly after the British government broke up a plot to blow up airplanes using liquid explosives brought on board transatlantic flights.

Gallup's Sept. 11, 2001, survey found 58% of Americans worried about being a victim of terrorism. This sentiment decreased in the weeks following the attacks, but jumped back up to 59% (the highest level of worry since 9/11) just before the United States commenced military action in Afghanistan. By November 2001, concerns about terrorism dropped to as low as 35%. Since that time, the results to this question have fluctuated substantially, ranging between 28% in January 2004 (the lowest level of worry recorded) and 48% in February 2003. More recently, since December 2005, Americans' terrorism worries have varied only slightly.

While the public's answers to this question have fluctuated over periods spanning a few months, the yearly averages show that Americans' concerns about terrorism were highest in 2001, when an average of 48% said they were worried. Average worry decreased to a low of 38% in 2003, but since then has gradually increased, averaging 44% so far this year.

Likelihood of a Terrorist Attack

Half of Americans also tell Gallup that it is at least somewhat likely there will be a terrorist attack in the United States during the next several weeks, including 9% who say it is "very" likely. Forty-eight percent say it is "not too" (38%) or "not at all" (10%) likely.

Gallup first asked this question shortly after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and at that time 66% of Americans said another attack was likely to occur. After the United States military campaign in Afghanistan began in early October 2001, views that a terrorist attack would occur in this country surged, reaching a highpoint of 85%. This sentiment gradually declined after that point, but a majority of Americans continued to say an attack was likely to occur until July 2003, when 40% expressed this point of view. Since then, this percentage has fluctuated between a low point of 35% in June 2005 to 57% following the London subway bombings in July 2005.

The perception of an attack occurring in the United States has been quite stable on a yearly basis, averaging 47% or 48% since 2004. It was much higher from 2001 through 2003.

Partisan Views of Terrorism

Gallup consistently finds Republicans more likely than Democrats to say terrorism is the most important problem facing the country and also more likely to say it should be the top government priority. But, there is no difference between Republicans' and Democrats' concerns about future acts of terrorism and perceptions that another attack will occur in the United States.

Forty-six percent of both Republicans and Democrats say they are at least somewhat worried about becoming a victim of terrorism; 42% of independents feel this way. Roughly half of Republicans (49%), independents (51%), and Democrats (51%) feel it is likely a terrorist attack will occur in the United States during the next several weeks.

Survey Methods

The latest results are based on telephone interviews with a randomly selected national sample of 1,001 adults, aged 18 and older, conducted Aug. 18-20, 2006. For results based on this sample, one can say with 95% confidence that the maximum error attributable to sampling and other random effects is ±3 percentage points. In addition to sampling error, question wording and practical difficulties in conducting surveys can introduce error or bias into the findings of public opinion polls.

7. 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?

8. 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?