Posted on 12/23/2002 9:00:50 AM PST by kattracks
LONDON Dec. 23 —More than two-thirds of British Muslims surveyed consider the war on terrorism a war against Islam, a poll conducted for the British Broadcasting Corp. showed Monday.
The ICM survey of 500 people also revealed that more than half of British Muslims believe Osama bin Laden's al-Qaida network should not have been blamed for the Sept. 11 attacks in New York and Washington.
However, 11 percent said they believed further attacks against the United States by al-Qaida or similar groups would be justified, and 8 percent said such attacks would be justified against Britain.
In the survey, people were asked: "President Bush and Tony Blair say that the war against terrorism is not a war against Islam. Do you agree or disagree?"
Seventy percent said they disagreed, 20 percent said they agreed and 10 percent said they did not know.
When asked whether they believed the United States and its allies were justified in blaming the Sept. 11 attacks on al-Qaida, 17 percent answered 'yes' while 56 percent replied 'no.'
Also, 64 percent said al-Qaida should not have been blamed for the October bombings on Bali that killed 192 people and similar terrorist attacks.
Yet 44 percent said attacks by al-Qaida or similar groups are justified because Muslims are being killed by the United States or allies using American weapons. Forty-six percent said such attacks were not justified. The survey question did not say where Muslims were being killed.
Although 67 percent of respondents said they felt somewhat or very patriotic toward Britain, 8 percent said attacks by al-Qaida or associated organizations against Britain would be justified.
There are about 1.5 million Muslims living in Britain. In the survey for the BBC, 37 percent said there was an increase in hostility toward them or their family by non-Muslims as a result of the Sept. 11 attacks.
Also, 84 percent said the British government should get United Nations approval before committing British forces to any attack on Iraq.
No margin of error was given for the poll, conducted by telephone this month by the ICM market research agency. Most respondents were identified through past phone surveys that included questions on religion.
The British Council of Muslims, an umbrella group representing mainstream Muslim groups, said it agreed with some of the poll opinions, particularly concerning the war against terrorism.
"Many of our affiliates are now complaining that this is turning into a war on Islam," council spokesman Inayat Bunglawala said.
But Bunglawala said the council disagreed with those who believed the Sept. 11 attacks were justified.
"The vast majority of Muslims (believe) you can never justify the killing of innocent people on Sept. 11," he said.
On the Net:
BBC poll:
Muslim Council of Britain:
Copyright 2002 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
:-P
Second, we're speaking of a people who typically only are given information from the biased cult-run media. I doubt there's much Fox News access in the maddrassas...
Islam is a collective Dawin Award.
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