One in five British Muslims sympathize with British citizens who flee the UK to join Islamic State (ISIS), a poll revealed Sunday – and that number rises to one in four among British Muslims ages 18-34.
The Survation poll, published by the Sun, polled 1,003 British citizens about ISIS and their views on the UK’s approach to terrorism.
38% of respondents agreed that Muslims “should not have to condemn” terror attacks carried out by ISIS; 51% believe that it is the Muslim community’s responsibility to condemn attacks.
The overwhelming majority of respondents, some 71%, stated that their Muslim and British identities were “equally important” to them, versus 17% who said their Muslim identity is more important and 6% who say their British identity is more important.
Some 38% of British Muslims polled said that “Western foreign policy” is “the single biggest factor” in ISIS attacks, versus 25% who blame ISIS’s leaders for “exploiting young people” and 6% who blame “the poverty and discrimination against Muslims in Western countries.” 17% said they did not know and 14% chose another factor.
61% of respondents believed that British Muslims are “doing enough” to integrate into mainstream society, versus 22% who say they are not doing enough and 3% who believe they are too integrated.
At least 500 UK citizens have joined ISIS since the Syrian civil war began in 2011, and a senior police officer revealed to the Guardian in October that about five radicalized Muslims leave the UK for Syria every week.