Bin Laden Death Hasn’t Raised Terrorism Fears in U.S.

Americans remain highly concerned about the possibility of a terrorist attack in the United States in the near future, but that concern has not increased because of the killing of Osama bin Laden. Most also feel bin Laden’s death will not worsen U.S. relations with the Muslim world.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 73% of American Adults think it is at least somewhat likely that there will be another terrorist attack in this country in the next year. That’s little changed from 74% last October after a foiled terrorist attempt to send package bombs into the United States.  It’s down from a recent high of 85% a year ago just after the Times Square bombing attempt in New York City. 

Just 28% now see a terrorist attack as Very Likely. That figure is down from 35% last fall. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

Americans overwhelmingly approve of President Obama’s decision to kill bin Laden and don’t believe a greater effort should have been made to bring the terrorist mastermind to trial.

Thirty-five percent (35%) of Americans feel that the al Qaeda terrorist group that bin Laden headed is weaker today than it was before it carried out the 9/11 terrorist attacks on America. Only 16% think it is stronger now, while 34% say its strength is about the same. Fifteen percent (15%) are not sure.

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The survey of 1,000 Adults nationwide was conducted on May 2-3, 2011 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.