Good News... and Bad News.

Poll: 26% Of Young U.S. Muslims OK Bombs

But Poll Also Shows Majority Of Muslims In U.S. Fit Comfortably, Reject Rise Of Extremism


(CBS/AP) One in four younger U.S. Muslims say suicide bombings to defend their religion are acceptable at least in some circumstances, though most American Muslims overwhelmingly reject the tactic and are critical of Islamic extremism and al Qaeda, a poll says.

The survey by the Pew Research Center, one of the most exhaustive ever of U.S. Muslims, revealed a community that in many ways blends comfortably into society. Its largely mainstream members express nearly as much happiness with their lives and communities as the general public does, show a broad willingness to adopt American customs, and have income and education levels similar to others in the U.S.

(snip)

The survey estimates there are roughly 2.35 million Muslim Americans.

In other findings:

Only 5 percent of U.S. Muslims expressed favorable views of the terrorist group al Qaeda, though about a fourth did not express an opinion.

Six in 10 said they are concerned about a rise in Islamic extremism in the U.S., while three in four expressed similar worries about extremism around the world.

Only one in four consider the U.S. war on terrorism a sincere attempt to curtail international terror. Only 40 percent said they believe Arab men carried out the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

By a 6-to-1 margin (75% to 12%), they say the U.S. was wrong to invade Iraq, while a third say the same about Afghanistan — far deeper than the opposition expressed by the general U.S. public.

Just over half said it has been harder being a U.S. Muslim since the Sept. 11 attacks, especially the better educated, higher income, more religious and young. Nearly a third of those who flew in the past year say they underwent extra screening because they are Muslim.

Nothing to add sadly.