TERRORIZE (also TERRORISE): v. create and maintain a feeling of terror in.

MICHAEL CHERTOFF, HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY: I believe we're entering a period this summer of increased risk. We've seen a lot more public statements from Al Qaeda. I mean, there are a lot of ways you could speculate about -- or a lot of reasons you could speculate about to have at. But one thing that occurs to me is that they're trying -- they feel a little more comfortable in raising expectations.

All of these things give me kind of a gut feeling that we are in a period of -- not that I have a specific threat, you know, that I have in mind right now, but that we are entering a period of increased vulnerability.

- from the CNN Transcript

Fallows has an amusing take on the Secretary's attitude here. And a more serious reflection here.