British Muslims Respond to Poll
A poll, commissioned by a leading news organisation, has revealed how over a third of British Muslims “blame the actions of the police and MI5 radicalising the younger generation.”
According to the survey, 39% of British Muslims have said public authorities, such as the police service and MI5, have a hand in turning Muslims extremists, with 29% saying they didn’t.
The topic of young people uprooting their lives to join extremist groups such as Islamic State and becoming ‘jihadi brides,’ remains a highly controversial one.
One situation was that of 15-year-old Amira Abase who left London to join the situation in Syria. Her father Abase Hussen blamed authorities for not warning families that girls were at risk.
However, the poll suggested both Muslims and non-Muslims, jointly, were responsible for stopping young people going to Syria: 44% of Muslims and 65% of non-Muslims agreed.
Just 3% of Muslims thought the police were responsible, 15% said the Government, 9% religious leaders and 2% schools.
Ironically, compassion with those leaving the UK to fight for or marry terrorist groups in Syria was highest among women.
Some 11% of female Muslims agreed they had a lot of sympathy, compared to 5% of males. The figures for non-Muslims were at 4% for both sexes.
However, a majority of Muslims and non-Muslims said they had no sympathy for those joining extremist groups.
The Sky News poll analysis what Muslims and non-Muslims think about British values and issues including radicalisation, security concerns, political uncertainty, a rise in hate crimes and growing prejudice.
71% of Muslims added their values were compatible with those British society were compatible with those of Islam, 16% believed they were not.
The results found younger Muslims were more likely to see their values aligned to those of Britain, with 73% of those aged 18 to 34 agreeing, compared to 71% of those aged over 55.
Male Muslims were also more likely to agree – 78%, versus 64% for females.
On the issue of integration into UK society, the survey found 58% of non-Muslims believed their Muslim neighbours were not doing enough, with those aged over 55 more likely to be critical.
