Terrorism is top fear for countries worldwide

People around the globe are more concerned about terrorism than any other issue, and most residents of several countries expect an attack soon, according to a new poll of eight nations.

One-quarter of people ranked terrorism as their top fear, according to the survey, more than any other. Terrorism was the most important to residents of Turkey and France, which have both witnessed multiple attacks from extremists tied to the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. Turkey has also faced repeated attacks from Kurdish nationalists.

{mosads}Worldwide, 94 percent of people said that an attack within the next year is either “very likely” or “somewhat likely.”

The survey, commissioned by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, points to the growing fears about terrorism 15 years after the 9/11 terror attacks. The poll was conducted among 8,000 adults in the United States, United Kingdom, France, India, China, Turkey, Egypt and Indonesia. 

After terrorism, 18 percent of respondents said that corruption was the second-most important concern. The economy came in third at 15 percent, followed by employment opportunities at 8 percent.

In addition to their fears about terrorist actions, a majority of residents in all eight countries expect that extremist groups will acquire and use weapons of mass destruction in their lifetime. President Obama has listed that possibility among his greatest fears.