Study: No Increase in Support for Extremism Among US Muslims

Posted August 30th, 2011 at 3:05 am (UTC-5)
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A new study suggests that while many Muslim Americans complain of being singled out for increased surveillance and monitoring, the majority are satisfied with their lives in the U.S.

The poll, conducted by Pew Research Center, found that 8 in 10 American Muslims are overwhelmingly happy with their lives, with a similar number rating their communities positively as places to live.

But 52 percent say Muslims are singled out by the government for terrorist surveillance, and nearly as many say they have been personally harassed in the past year. More than half of those surveyed said their lives have become more difficult since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.

The report found no increase of support for Islamic extremism among Muslim Americans compared to the organization's 2007 study. Eighty-one percent of respondents said suicide bombings and other forms of violence against civilians are never justified.

However, nearly half of American Muslims say their religious leaders in the U.S. have not done enough to speak out against Islamic extremists.

Pew estimates that 2.75 million Muslims live in the United States, an increase of 400,000 from four years ago.