ADN Kronos reported on the growing Islamophobia in the UK:
London, 20 August (AKI) – Britons are more suspicious of Muslims than Americans and other Europeans, according to a poll for the Financial Times newspaper published on Monday. Just 59 percent believe it is possible to be a Muslim and a citizen of their country, a smaller proportion than in France, Germany, Spain, Italy or the US – the other countries surveyed.
The poll findings suggests terrorist plots against the UK, including the deadly 7 July 2005 London bombings, have hardened attitudes towards Muslims living in Britain.
Conducted by independent market research firm Harris Interactive between 1-13 August, the poll interviewed 6,398 adults divided equally between the six countries. The survey weighted the sample for factors such as age and gender but not for religious belief.
Compared with citizens of the other five nations, Britons were also the most likely to predict a “major terrorist attack” in their country over the next year (52 percent) and consider Muslims a national security threat (38 percent).
Two-thirds of French and majorities of Italians, Germans, and Americans believe Muslims are not a threat to national security, according to the poll results.
In Spain, only 32 percent predicted a big terrorist attack in the next 12 months, 30 percent in the US, and between 15-18 percent in France, Italy and Germany.
