Forty percent of British Muslims want Islamic law, 20 percent sympathize with London bombers

LONDON (RNS) — A newly published opinion poll suggests that 40 percent of Britain’s estimated 2 million Muslims want Islamic law, known as Shariah, introduced to their country.

The ICM polling organization’s survey for London’s Sunday Telegraph newspaper also said 20 percent of those surveyed sympathized with the “feelings and motives” of the Muslim suicide bombers who killed 52 people in four attacks on underground trains and a bus in London last July 7.

The Sunday Telegraph reported that “overall, the findings (of its survey) depict a Muslim community becoming more radical and feeling more alienated from mainstream society, even though 91 percent still say they feel loyal to Britain.”

It said that four in every 10 of the 500 Muslims interviewed believe Shariah should be introduced in “predominantly Muslim” areas of Britain. It added that half of those polled are convinced that relations between Muslims and white Britons are getting worse.