The Aspen Institute

Chicago, like New York and Los Angeles, is a top terror target. It is the third largest city in the United States, with a population just under 3 million people. The Illinois Emergency Management Agency has identified more than 1,000 assets, including those in the government, financial or commercial, transportation, technology, and utility sectors, which terrorists might find tempting. The city is home, for example, to two airports – O’Hare and Midway, with O’Hare being the second busiest in the country.