There was also the xenophobia that the foreigners would kill people.

[Passionwagon]

There was also the xenophobia that the foreigners would kill people.

Does this make sense? Can you use 'xenophobia' in the same way that you can use 'phobia' or 'fear'?

There was also the fear that the foreigners would kill people.

[rewboss]

"Xenophobia" is a specific fear, namely, the fear of foreign or strange people or things. Your sentence thus means:

There was also the fear of foreigners that the foreigners would kill people.

And that doesn't really make sense.

If you want to indicate that the fears were unfounded or based on hysteria, I'd suggest using an adjective like "irrational":

There was also the irrational fear that...

[curmudgeon]

There was also the xenophobia that the foreigners would kill people.

Does this make sense? Can you use 'xenophobia' in the same way that you can use 'phobia' or 'fear'?

There was also the fear that the foreigners would kill people.

There was also xenophobia,(hatred of people from from a different race, culture, country.)..that would make the local people murderous.