Muslim nations increasingly fear Islamic extremism, says a recent poll. Citizens tend to be more and more negative about radical groups such as Al-Qaeda, Hezbollah and Boko Haram due to their repeated violent attacks.
“As well-publicized bouts of violence, from civil war to
suicide bombings, plague the Middle East, Africa and South Asia,
concern about Islamic extremism is high among countries with
substantial Muslim populations,” says a survey led by the Pew Research Center.
The research was conducted among 14,244 respondents in 14
countries with significant Muslim populations from April 10 to
May 25, 2014.
The survey, however, was conducted before the recent attacks of
ISIS on Iraq which claimed about 2,400 lives in the country over the past month,
according to UN figures.
And the concern is growing in the Middle East. The research says
that people in Lebanon, Tunisia, Egypt, Jordan and Turkey have
become “more worried about the extremist threat than they
were a year ago.”
“In Lebanon, which shares a long border with conflict-ridden
Syria, 92 percent of the public is worried about Islamic
extremism, up 11 points from the already high figure of 81
percent in 2013,” says the research, adding that
eight-in-ten in Tunisia and three-quarters in Egypt are also
concerned.
According to the study, 65 percent of Palestinians fear
extremists, with the unease appreciably higher in the Gaza Strip
(79 percent) than in the West Bank (57 percent).
Meanwhile, a never-ending conflict in Syria has raised concerns
about the radical groups in its neighboring countries, such as
Jordan and Turkey.
“Roughly six in 10 Jordanians (62 percent) are concerned
about extremism in their country, up 13 percentage points since
2012. Just half of Turks hold this view, but this is up 18
percentage points from two years ago.”
Gunmen attack Karachi Airport security training
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Boko Haram is the first in Nigeria’s ‘hatred list’ at 82 percent
– not surprising as the group has been wreaking havoc in the
northern regions, including the kidnapping of hundreds of girls
during the early stages of fieldwork for the survey.
Dozens feared killed as Islamist militants attack
several churches in Nigeria
The public in the Middle East has “very negative”
opinions about notorious terrorist organizations such as
Al-Qaeda, Hamas and Hezbollah.
“Al-Qaeda gets negative marks in all 14 countries surveyed.
In no nation do more than a quarter say they have a favorable
view of the international terrorist organization,” says the
study.
“The strongest sentiment” against the terrorist group is
in Israel and Lebanon and almost eight in 10 or more in Turkey,
Jordan and Egypt “have an unfavorable opinion of the group
responsible for the 9/11 attacks and many other terrorist attacks
worldwide.”
Meanwhile, another terrorist group – Hezbollah – is seen
unfavorably in all but one (Lebanon), Middle Eastern country
surveyed.
“In 2007, only 41 percent of Egyptians had an unfavorable
view of Hezbollah, but that is now 83 percent. Similarly, in
Jordan 44 percent had a negative impression in 2007, but seven
years later it’s up to 81 percent.”
Al-Nusra Front suicide attack kills at least 4 in
Lebanon (PHOTOS)
Most Muslims don’t approve of suicide bombings, says the survey.
However, the minority in some countries say that suicide bombings
can be justified.
“In the Middle East, support for suicide bombing is highest
in the Palestinian territories, where 46 percent of Muslims say
that it is often or sometimes justified in order to defend
Islam,” the poll found.
Meanwhile in Lebanon, the percentage of those who approve of
suicide bombings for the sake of Allah is relatively high, at 29
percent. It is followed by Bangladesh (47 percent), Tanzania (26
percent) and Egypt (24 percent).
However, according to the study, the percentage of Muslims who
say suicide bombing is often or sometimes justified has fallen in
many of the countries surveyed. The large decrease happened
mostly after he 9/11 attacks and after hundreds of high-profile
attacks on civilians.
