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UK Muslims want hard-line Sharia law
19/ 2/2006
FOUR in 10 UK Muslims want hard-line Sharia Law introduced in parts of Britain, an ICM poll revealed today.
One in five also expressed sympathy with the "feelings and motives" of the July 7 suicide bombers who killed 52 innocent people in London.
However, while British Muslims come over as alienated from mainstream society, 91% said they feel "loyal" to the UK.
The survey, for the Sunday Telegraph, follows a fresh protest in Trafalgar Square by thousands of Muslims against the cartoons of the prophet Mohammed.
Sadiq Khan, the Labour MP appointed to the task force set up after the 7/7 attacks, called the findings "alarming".
"Vast numbers of Muslims feel disengaged and alienated from mainstream British society," the MP told the paper.
Sharia Law, which is practised in large parts of the Middle East, specifies stonings and amputations as routine punishments.
Religious police are responsible for bringing suspects before special courts.
Sharia should be introduced in "predominantly Muslim" areas of Britain, according to 40% of the 500 Muslims polled. Almost the same number, 41%, opposed the move.
Problem
While 20% said they felt sympathy for the London suicide bombers' motives, another 75% said they did not. Just 1% backed the attacks.
Almost two-thirds believed video images of British troops beating Iraqi youths, uncovered last week, were representative of a wider problem in the war-ravaged country.
Exactly half predicted the soldiers responsible will not be "appropriately published".
Many felt their community had become "more radical" in the past year, with 60% saying British Muslims are "more alienated" and that more women were covering their faces and bodies in public than in 2004.
Exactly half said relations between white Britons and and Muslims were growing worse. Fewer than one in five believed relations were improving.
Only just over half said the conviction of militant Islamic cleric Abu Hamza for incitement to racial hatred was fair.
Tooting MP Mr Khan said: "We must redouble our efforts to bring Muslims on board with the mainstream community.
"For all our efforts made since last July, things do not appear to have got better."
:: ICM interview 500 British Muslims age 18 and over from February 14-16.
Should Sharia law be introduced to parts of the UK? Have your say.
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22/02/2006 at 08:50
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