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News Specialist Stacey Butler reportingAs the tension over war with Iraq rises, and terrorist threats increase almost daily, some question if fear is as dangerous a weapon as any terrorist's bomb.
Without any hard evidence in the public eye that terrorists are about to strike, an exclusive Eyewitness News poll shows most Utahns are worried there will be a strike, and soon.
Missiles deployed to protect Washington, D.C. ...
The terror threat alert moved to high after word that al-Qaida is planning another major attack...
A new videotape with Osama bin Laden calling Muslims to strike again.
It's enough to drive some to the emergency supply store. But others question the events and the sudden re-appearance of a man we haven't heard from in three months.
"It comes a week or two after Colin Powell fails to make convincing the case that Iraq is posing an international threat with weapons of mass destruction," says University of Utah political science professor Radoslav Dimitrov.
Professor Dimitrov urges Americans to question the timely renewed terror threats that some claim are reasons for war.
Such reasons, whether right or wrong, carry weighty consequences.
"Going to war with Iraq will be the best recruitment poster that we could make for Osama bin Laden and al-Qaida," Dimitrov says.
It's no secret that a war with Iraq could very well lead to major terrorist attacks on U.S. soil, and soon.
"I think that's why they have an orange alert, because they know that it will aggravate the problem and result in more terrorist attacks," says Salt Lake City resident Nyoka Morris.
According to a KSL/Deseret News poll, almost a fifth of Utahns polled are very concerned that there will be a terrorist attack in the next few days.
Almost half are somewhat concerned, and a quarter are not very concerned.
And when it comes to the government's ability to measure the risk of an imminent terrorist attack, more than half are somewhat confident.
A quarter are not very confident, and just 15 percent are very confident.
"I think we just have to go about our daily lives and worry if they're going to release something on us and just work on being vigilant to that," says Sandy resident Rick Cyr.
