AUBURN – As Mark Hodsdon learned of the foiled attacks and the conspirators’ aims of mass murder, one life mattered Thursday more than any other.

His stepdaughter, Monmouth businesswoman Sheri Koller, was preparing to fly home Sunday from London’s Heathrow Airport, the epicenter of Britain’s investigation.

“The terrorists were there,” Hodsdon said. “They were ready to board the planes. That’s scary.”

To Hodsdon and other locals, the knowledge that these terrorists were captured offered little comfort.

“I believe we’re going to have another mind-boggling disaster,” said Hodsdon, 51, who runs an Auburn machine shop. There are too many terrorists and too many vulnerabilities in a free society for America to escape, he said. “I don’t think it’s possible that the government can shut it down 100 percent.”

Word of the thwarted attacks spread quickly Thursday morning.

In all, 21 people were arrested in England for plotting to blow up U.S.-bound planes over the Atlantic Ocean, reported the Associated Press.

Following the arrests, Heathrow Airport was closed. The United Kingdom raised its threat status and the U.S. followed, adding security to all commercial flights.

Meanwhile, news reports talked about al-Qaida and the worry that some of the conspirators had gotten away.

Hodsdon first glimpsed the news Thursday morning on the Internet. Tyler Snowe of Auburn picked up the news on the TV in his office at American Concrete.

Snowe, 18, admitted it was scary, but he said he also has a lot of confidence in the U.S. government.

He returned from Europe only two weeks ago, traveling through France, Italy and the Netherlands.

U.S. customs officials seemed more vigilant than those between European countries, he said. After passing through several borders, he was surprised by the U.S. workers who questioned him thoroughly.

It made him feel safer when he heard Thursday’s news. It also colored his discussion a few hours later with a friend, who was ready to cancel a planned trip to Texas.

“At first, she said, ‘I’m not going,'” Snowe said. “Before we were done, she agreed to go. But she’s nervous.”

Ann Jewett never flies, but she too was nervous.

The elderly Lewiston woman woke to the sound of the reports on her TV, which plays all night long.

She heard the intense music and saw the “special report” titles but was not surprised by what TV people said.

“I had never thought that Bin Laden had given up,” she said.

Jewett, who described herself as a “die-hard Democrat,” hopes the attempted attack will force the government to put more resources into the chase for the al-Qaida leader.

“They didn’t stay on the Bin Laden chase,” she said. “They took up all their time in Iraq.”