While I agree with the article's main point, keep in mind that most of the comparative examples given do not threaten the legitimacy (or the aura thereof, if on

While I agree with the article's main point, keep in mind that most of the comparative examples given do not threaten the legitimacy (or the aura thereof, if one wishes to distinguish between the two) of the government. That in itself should explain why the government pays so much attention to it. Why ordinary people seem to obsess over terror probably stems from all of the coverage an attack (or even a foiled plot, for that matter) gets. Which shouldn't surprise once one remembers how cozy the media is with the government.