51pc Pakistanis repose confidence in Osama: survey

51pc Pakistanis repose confidence in Osama: survey

WASHINGTON (AFP) - Osama bin Laden is losing public confidence in several key Islamic countries, while growing numbers of Muslims are sharing Western concerns over extremism, a new survey found Thursday.
Support for suicide bombings and other acts of violence has also declined significantly in most Muslim-majority countries surveyed in the 17-nation report by the Washington-based Pew Institute.
In Morocco, 26 per cent of people have confidence in Osama bin Laden, according to the survey, down from 49 per cent two years ago. The latest survey was conducted in May, before last week’s bombings in London.
The Al-Qaeda leader’s rating also dipped sharply in the world’s most populous Muslim-majority nation, Indonesia, where only 35 percent said they had a lot or some confidence in him, down from 58 percent two years ago.
In Jordan, bin Laden’s confidence rating rose slightly, up to 60 per cent, from 55 percent two years ago, and 51 per cent of Pakistanis surveyed registered confidence in him, up from 45 per cent four years ago.
Support for suicide bombings is also on the wane in most Muslim-majority countries surveyed.
In Lebanon, 39 per cent said the tactic was sometimes or often justified, compared with 73 per cent in summer 2002. In Pakistan, the figure was 25 per cent versus 33 per cent. In Morocco, 13 per cent said suicide bombing was justified, compared with 40 per cent in March 2004.
Jordan bucked the trend again: 57 per cent of those surveyed said suicide bombing was justified, compared with 43 per cent three years ago.
Concern over Islamic extremism is also prevalent in several Muslim-majority countries, according to the survey: 73 per cent of Moroccans believe it is a threat, along with 52 per cent of Pakistanis and 47 per cent of Turks.
Outside the Muslim world, concern about Islamic extremism is also running high, according to the Pew report, especially in nations which have experienced attacks blamed on Islamic radicals.