UK: Many young Midland Muslims support suicide bombings new poll reveals

One senior Muslim cleric in Birmingham described the findings of the survey as “very worrying”.

Almost a quarter of young Muslims support suicide bombings, according to a shock new poll on an internet website.

Radicalised youths from the Midlands are among those to have posted messages backing terrorists on the www.ummah.com forum.

One member had started the survey by asking users: “Do you agree with suicide bombings?”

Of those who responded, an alarming 24 per cent said they supported suicide attacks like the 7/7 tube bombings in London and the 9/11 atrocity in America.

Islam and Terrorism

Islamic terrorism is inspired by the concept of ‘lesser Jihad’ (holy warfare against the enemies of Allah and Islam). Muslims disagree among each other as to what is or is not acceptable in ‘lesser Jihad.’ For instance, while many Muslims speak out against terrorist acts committed in the name of Islam, others approve of such acts under certain conditions. […more…]

Understanding Islamic Terrorism: Muhammad, Islam and Terrorism

Almost a quarter of UK-based Muslims believe the July 7, 2005 terrorist bombings in London were justified (Apr. 6, 2006)

Research resources on Islam, on Islamic Extremism, and on Islam and terrorism

Comments & resources by ReligionNewsBlog.com

One posting on the poll said: “I agree with suicide bombers. They should target Muslims too. They should also target those coward sleeping Muslims.”

Another, calling himself Abu Mubarak, wrote: “I don’t particularly subscribe to the suicide bombings myself, if I were to go into battle, I would want to die in a blaze of gunfire, not by pushing a button.

“I will not say it is suicide, nor condemn them, or say they are cowards, or the rest of that nonsense, because it is NOT suicide, it is a form of fighting that instils a great terror into the hearts of the koffar (non-believers).”

Others argued that suicide bombings were unacceptable, with one contributor saying: “I don’t regard people who blow themselves up in market places packed with non-combatants as legitimate Mujahideen.

“I don’t believe it is responsible to kill a handful of bystanders for every enemy soldier killed. Finally, I don’t believe suicide bombing is Islamic.”

One senior Muslim cleric in Birmingham described the findings of the survey as “very worrying”.

Shouiab Ahmed Mirpuri, General Secretary of the Green Lane Mosque, which was featured in last year’s Channel 4 Dispatches investigation into radical preachers, believes the key to tackling extremism is education.

“Suicide bombing is not allowed in Islam,” he told the Sunday Mercury.

“Killing innocent people is not within the teachings of the Prophet Mohammed. Murder is haraam (forbidden), suicide is haraam, it is all against Islam.

“I’m really shocked by this poll, which suggests there are a lot of people agreeing with suicide bombings.

“These people have clearly not been educated properly. Some may have been brainwashed into thinking this is acceptable.