In the online survey of a representative national sample of 2,013 British adults, 44 per cent of respondents think a terrorist attack is “very likely” or “moderately likely” to happen in the next year. This represents a 15-point drop since a similar survey conducted by Angus Reid Public Opinion in July 2010, on the fifth anniversary of the London bombings.

Two-in-five Britons express “complete confidence” or “a lot of confidence” in the Secret Intelligence Service – MI6 (43%) and the Secret Intelligence Service – MI6 (42%) to avert a terrorist attack. The rating is lower for special police forces (36%) and territorial police forces (30%).

One third of respondents (32%) think the UK is safer now than in the aftermath of the 2005 London bombings.

Seven-in-ten Britons (70%) think it is “very likely” or “moderately likely” that a terrorist attack as deadly as the 2005 London bombings will take place in their lifetimes, down 10 points since July 2010.

Two thirds of respondents (68%) say they are more worried about al-Qaeda and other Islamic-based terrorist groups, while just three per cent express concern about residual terrorist groups in Northern Ireland.

Three-in-five Britons (59%) think it is more important to ensure that a terrorist attack does not take place, while 26 per cent place more emphasis in guaranteeing the civil liberties of people in the UK.

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Full Report, Detailed Tables and Methodology (PDF)

CONTACT:

Mario Canseco, Vice President, Angus Reid Public Opinion
+877 730 3570
mario.canseco@angus-reid.com

Methodology: From February 26 to February 28, 2013, Angus Reid Public Opinion conducted an online survey among 2,013 randomly selected British adults who are Springboard UK panelists. The margin of error—which measures sampling variability—is +/- 2.2%. The results have been statistically weighted according to the most current education, age, gender and region data to ensure samples representative of the entire adult population of Great Britain. Discrepancies in or between totals are due to rounding.

In the online survey of a representative national sample of 1,003 American adults, a third of respondents (34%) think it is “very likely” or “moderately likely” that a terrorist attack will happen in the United States in the next year.

Two-in-five Americans express “complete confidence” or “a lot of confidence” in the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) (43%) and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (41%) to avert a terrorist attack. The level of confidence is lower when Americans rate their state police force (33%) and their local police force (28%).

More than half of Americans (55%) think the U.S. is safer now than it was before the 9/11 attacks, while 26 per cent perceive no difference and 12 per cent believe the country is now less safe.

Almost two thirds of respondents (64%) believe another deadly terrorist attack is “very likely” or “moderately likely” to take place in the U.S. in their lifetime–including 72 per cent of Republicans and 59 per cent of Democrats.

Full Report, Detailed Tables and Methodology (PDF)

CONTACT:

Mario Canseco, Vice President, Angus Reid Public Opinion
+877 730 3570
mario.canseco@angus-reid.com

Methodology: From July 18 to July 19, 2012, Angus Reid Public Opinion conducted an online survey among 1,003 American adults who are Springboard America panelists. The margin of error—which measures sampling variability—is +/- 3.1%. The results have been statistically weighted according to the most current education, age, gender and region Census data to ensure a sample representative of the entire adult population of the United States. Discrepancies in or between totals are due to rounding.

In the online survey of a representative national sample of 1,002 American adults, 69 per cent of respondents think the action taken by the U.S. Government to kill Anwar al-Awlaki was justified.

Respondents in the South (71%) are slightly more likely to endorse this decision than those in the West (69%), the Midwest (68%) and the Northeast (69%).

Three-in-five Republicans (77%) think the killing of al-Awlaki was justified, compared to 73 per cent of Democrats and 66 per cent of Independents.

Across the country, almost half of Americans (48%) believe the U.S. Government should be able to kill U.S. citizens outside the country if there is strong evidence of their involvement in terrorist activities. At least half of respondents in the South (52%) and the Midwest (50%) agree with this statement.

Conversely, 28 per cent of Americans think the U.S. Government should be able to kill U.S. citizens outside the country only if their threat to life is concrete, specific and imminent, while less than one-in-ten (9%) say the U.S. Government should never be able to kill U.S. citizens outside the country.

The views of supporters of the two main parties are very similar on this issue, with 50 per cent of Democrats and 54 per cent of Republicans supporting the notion that the U.S. Government should be able to kill U.S. citizens outside the country if there is strong evidence of their involvement in terrorist activities. Only 42 per cent of Independents concur.

Full Report, Detailed Tables and Methodology (PDF)

CONTACT:

Mario Canseco, Vice President, Angus Reid Public Opinion
+877 730 3570
mario.canseco@angus-reid.com

Methodology: From October 4 to October 5, 2011, Angus Reid Public Opinion conducted an online survey among 1,002 American adults who are Springboard America panelists. The margin of error—which measures sampling variability—is +/- 3.1%. The results have been statistically weighted according to the most current education, age, gender and region Census data to ensure a sample representative of the entire adult population of the United States. Discrepancies in or between totals are due to rounding.

The online survey of a representative sample of 1,787 American adults also shows that respondents are divided in the effectiveness of the military intervention in Afghanistan that was launched by the United States government after the events of 9/11.

9/11

Two thirds of respondents (66%) believe that the commission that investigated the events of Sept. 11, 2001 was right in its conclusion that an attack was carried out by 19 hijackers who were members of the al-Qaeda terrorist organization, led by Osama bin Laden.

Only 12 per cent of respondents openly disagree with the conclusion of the 9/11 Commission, and 22 per cent are undecided.

A small proportion of Americans find several assertions that have been made about 9/11 as credible, including the notion that United Airlines Flight 93, which crashed in Pennsylvania, was shot down (16%), that the collapse of the World Trade Center was the result of a controlled demolition (14%), and that no airplane actually crashed at the Pentagon on Sept. 11 (11%).

Even fewer respondents believe that Osama bin Laden is alive (9%) and that no airplanes crashed on the World Trade Center on 9/11 (5%).

Terrorism

More than half of Americans (58%) think that an attack similar in scope and magnitude to 9/11 will take place in the United States again in their lifetimes. Republicans (66%) are more likely than Independents (59%) and Democrats (52%) to feel this way.

More than a third of Americans (36%) are “very concerned” or “moderately concerned” about becoming the victim of a terrorist attack, while three-in-five (60%) are” not too concerned” or “not concerned at all.” Democrats (43%) are more worried about this possibility than Republicans (36%) or Independents (33%).

Americans are divided in their assessment of the military intervention that was launched in Afghanistan as a result of 9/11, with 44 per cent considering a success and 36 per cent deeming it a failure. Republicans are more likely to see the military campaign as a success (48%) than Democrats and Independents (both at 33%).

Analysis

There has been little change in the views of Americans on the 9/11 attacks since the survey conducted by Angus Reid Public Opinion in March 2010 after Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad claimed that the 9/11 attacks were a “fabrication”. The core group of Americans who question certain elements of the official story—including the conclusions of the 9/11 commission and the notion that “many people” in the U.S government had prior knowledge of the plot—does not reach one-in-six respondents.

As the military intervention in Afghanistan draws to a close, the public is clearly divided. Republicans are more likely to say that the war was a success, while almost half of Democrats and Independents claim it was a failure.

Full Report, Detailed Tables and Methodology (PDF)

CONTACT:

Mario Canseco, Vice President, Angus Reid Public Opinion
+877 730 3570
mario.canseco@angus-reid.com

Methodology: From September 1 to September 2, 2011, Angus Reid Public Opinion conducted an online survey among 1,787 randomly selected American adults who are Springboard America panelists. The margin of error—which measures sampling variability—is +/- 2.3%. The results have been statistically weighted according to the most current education, age, gender and region data to ensure samples representative of the entire adult population of the United States. Discrepancies in or between totals are due to rounding.

The online survey of representative national samples also shows that Britons appear to be more concerned about the possibility of terrorists targeting their country than Canadians.

When and How People Found Out

More than half of Canadians (53%) say they found out about the demise of the al-Qaeda leader on Sunday night—May 1, 2011—including large proportions of respondents in the Western provinces. Seven-in-ten Britons (72%) discovered the news about bin Laden’s death on Monday morning.

Half of Canadians (50%) and practically half of Britons (48%) first learned about the death of Osama bin Laden through television. Britons were more likely to find out on the Internet (19%, compared to 15% for Canadians), while Canadians were twice as likely to rely on social media (10%, compared to 5% for Britons).

Celebrations

There was little difference in the two countries when respondents were asked about the impromptu celebrations that occurred in Washington, D.C. and other American cities after the death of bin Laden was revealed. More than three-in-five respondents in both Canada (64%) and Britain (69%) believe these celebrations were justified, and only one-in-four (23% in Canada, 24% in Britain) think they were unjustified.

Credit

Canadians (75%) and Britons (76%) overwhelmingly believe that the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) deserves “most of the credit” or “some of the credit” for the death of Osama bin Laden. More than three-in-five respondents also commend U.S. President Barack Obama (63% in Canada, 65% in Britain), while considerably fewer think former U.S. President George W. Bush should be lauded (19% in Canada, 15% in Britain).

Barely one-in-ten respondents in the two countries claim that the Government of Pakistan deserves credit for Osama bin Laden’s death (11% in Canada, 8% in Britain).

Safety

Most Canadians (65%) and Britons (52%) think the death of Osama bin Laden will make no difference in the safety of the United States. However, more than a third of respondents in Britain (37%) believe the U.S. is now less safe than it was before the al-Qaeda leader’s demise. In addition, three-in-five Canadians (62%) and three-in-four Britons (78%) think it is “very likely” or “moderately likely” that a deadly terrorist attack will take place in the United States in the next 12 months.

When it comes to safety in their own countries, three-in-four Canadians (75%) believe the state of affairs will not change, while 36 per cent of Britons suggest that their country is now less safe as a result of bin Laden’s death.

Full Report, Detailed Tables and Methodology (PDF)

CONTACT:

Mario Canseco, Vice President, Angus Reid Public Opinion
+877 730 3570
mario.canseco@angus-reid.com

Methodology: From May 3 to May 5, 2011, Vision Critical conducted an online survey among 1,009 Canadian adults who are Angus Reid Forum panellists, and 2,000 British adults who are Springboard UK panellists. The margin of error—which measures sampling variability—is +/- 3.1% for Canada and 2.2% for Great Britain. The results have been statistically weighted according to the most current education, age, gender and region Census data to ensure samples representative of the entire adult population of Canada, the U.S. and Great Britain. Discrepancies in or between totals are due to rounding.

In late October, two explosive devices planted on cargo planes that were bound for the U.S. were intercepted after a tip-off from an al-Qaeda member in Saudi Arabia who turned himself in to authorities.

The online survey of representative national samples shows that three-in-four Britons (74%) believe that it is “very likely” or “moderately likely” that a terrorist attack will happen in the United Kingdom in the next year. Only 15 per cent of respondents think a terrorist attack is “not too likely” or “not likely at all.”

A majority of Americans (59%) also believe that the possibility of their country being affected by terrorism is “very likely” or “moderately likely”, while 29 per cent disagree.

In Canada, which has not faced a terrorist attack recently but experienced the trial of members of a home-grown terrorist cell (known as the Toronto 18), only 38 per cent of respondents expect to face terrorism in the next year. A majority of Canadians (54%) believe this is “not too likely” or “not at all likely.”

Full Report, Detailed Tables and Methodology (PDF)

CONTACT:

Mario Canseco, Vice President, Communications & Media Relations
+877 730 3570
mario.canseco@angus-reid.com

Methodology: From November 3 to November 5, 2010 Angus Reid Public Opinion conducted an online survey among 1,024 Canadian adults who are Angus Reid Forum panellists, 2,129 American adults who are Springboard America panellists, and 2,001 British adults who are Springboard UK panellists. The margin of error—which measures sampling variability—is +/- 3.1% for Canada and 2.2% for the United States and Great Britain. The results have been statistically weighted according to the most current education, age, gender and region Census data to ensure samples representative of the entire adult population of Canada, the U.S. and Great Britain. Discrepancies in or between totals are due to rounding.

In 1988, 270 people died in the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over the Scottish town of Lockerbie. Megrahi, a former Libyan intelligence agent, was convicted for the crime and sentenced to life in prison.

On Aug. 20, Scottish Government justice secretary Kenny MacAskill granted Megrahi a release on compassionate grounds, stating that the prisoner had been diagnosed with prostate cancer and was expected to die within three months.

Megrahi is still alive. It has been speculated that his release is linked to either a future sale of arms and military equipment to Libya, or to the protection of business interests of the British-based oil company BP in that country.

On Jul. 21, British prime minister David Cameron—who has publicly condemned the decision to release Megrahi—said that "we should not leap to an inquiry" into the case, but admitted that "yes, we might have to look again" at opening an investigation.

Polling Data

As you may know, Libyan national Abdelbaset Ali Mohmet al-Megrahi was serving a life sentence with a minimum term of 27 years for his role in the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over the Scottish town of Lockerbie in December 1988. Megrahi has been diagnosed with terminal prostate cancer. His advisers requested that he be freed from the Greenock prison (near Glasgow) on compassionate grounds, and the Scottish Government agreed to this request last year. All things considered, do you agree or disagree with the decision to release Megrahi on compassionate grounds?

Complete Poll (PDF)

Most people in Britain condemn the release from prison of Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset Ali Mohmet al-Megrahi and want the British government to investigate the decision, a new Angus Reid Public Opinion poll has found.

In the online survey of a representative national sample of 1,992 British adults, three quarters of respondents (75%) oppose the release of Megrahi, a Libyan national, which was conceded on compassionate grounds by the Scottish government citing the prisoner’s poor health condition.

Megrahi had been diagnosed with terminal prostate cancer and was serving a life sentence with a minimum term of 27 years for his role in the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over the Scottish town of Lockerbie in December 1988.

Many Britons (41%) believe that the Scottish government’s decision to let Megrahi out of prison has something to do with the commercial interests of the British oil company BP, which has major operations in Libya.

Two thirds of respondents (65%) want the British Government to launch an investigation into Megrahi’s release. Notably, while support for a government investigation into this case is high across Britain, it is lower in London (59%) and Scotland (53%).

Respondents in Scotland are also more likely than others to support the original decision to allow Megrahi leave jail (31%, compared to less than 23% elsewhere in Britain).

Consult our August 2009 poll on Megrahi’s release here.

Full Report, Detailed Tables and Methodology (PDF)

Download Full Tables

Download Methodology Statement

CONTACT:

Andy Morris, Research Director, London
+ 44-207-065-7272
andy.morris@angus-reid.com

Methodology: From July 20 to July 23, 2010, Angus Reid Public Opinion conducted an online survey among 1,992 randomly selected British adults who are Springboard UK panelists. The margin of error—which measures sampling variability—is +/- 2.2%. The results have been statistically weighted according to the most current education, age, gender and region data to ensure samples representative of the entire adult population of Great Britain. Discrepancies in or between totals are due to rounding.

In July 2005, four blasts in London killed at least 53 people and injured 700 more. Investigators say three British nationals of Pakistani descent and a Jamaican-born man were responsible for the explosions at three underground stations and a double-decker bus. Authorities believe the event was a coordinated suicide bombing, the first to ever occur in Western Europe.

In late June and early July 2007, two attempted car bombings were reported in London, and a car—filled with gas cylinders and fuel—crashed into the doors of Scotland’s Glasgow Airport in another apparent attack.

On Jul. 22, Baroness Eliza Manningham-Buller, head of the MI5 secret intelligence agency between 2002 and 2007, said that the British military engagement in the Iraq war "substantially" increased the overall terrorist threat in the country and that it also "radicalized" some British citizens, adding, "What Iraq did was to produce a fresh impetus of people prepared to engage in terrorism."

Polling Data

How likely is it that a terrorist attack will happen in the UK in the next year?

Complete Poll (PDF)

Five years after the London bombings that killed 52 people, many adults in Britain believe that their country will become a target for terrorism again, a new Angus Reid Public Opinion poll has found.

In the online survey of a representative national sample of 1,980 British adults, 59 per cent of respondents think it is “very likely” or “moderately likely” that a terrorist attack will happen in the UK in the next year.

Two-in-five respondents express “complete confidence” or “a lot of confidence” in the ability of the Secret Intelligence Service – MI6 (41%) and the Security Service – MI5 (40%) to avert a terrorist attack. Fewer respondents feel the same way about the special police forces (37%) and the territorial police forces (27%).

In all, 31 per cent of respondents say the UK is safer now than in the aftermath of the 2005 London bombings, while 15 per cent think the country is less safe. Almost half of respondents (46%) perceive no difference.

Four-in-five Britons (80%) believe that a new terrorist attack as deadly as the 2005 London bombings is “very likely” or “moderately likely” to take place in their lifetimes.

Full Report, Detailed Tables and Methodology (PDF)

Download Full Tables

Download Methodology Statement

CONTACT:

Andy Morris, Research Director, London
+ 44-207-065-7272
andy.morris@angus-reid.com

Methodology: From July 15 to July 16, 2010, Angus Reid Public Opinion conducted an online survey among 1,980 randomly selected British adults who are Springboard UK panelists. The margin of error—which measures sampling variability—is +/- 2.2%. The results have been statistically weighted according to the most current education, age, gender and region data to ensure samples representative of the entire adult population of Great Britain. Discrepancies in or between totals are due to rounding.