a neighborhood being 'held hostage' to fear [=a neighborhood controlled or dominated by fear]
The terrorists demanded a plane and a pilot in exchange for the 'hostages'.
The 'hostage' crisis is now entering its second week.
(..) As your manager's probably reporting, you have over $ million... ...in your vault tonight. We 're only packing up half that. The other half we 're leaving, booby-trapped, as a hostage. You let our $ million go, and you get to keep yours. You try and stop us, we'll blow both cashloads. (..)2001 Ocean's Eleven