Muslim Support For Bin Laden Drops

(AP)  Support for Osama bin Laden and terrorist bombings against Americans and their allies in Iraq is falling in several heavily Muslim countries, particularly those where terrorist attacks have occurred.

According to surveys conducted for the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press, young people in Morocco, Lebanon, Pakistan and Turkey view America more favorably than the overall populations in those countries.

However, the research found solid majorities in Lebanon, Pakistan, Turkey, Jordan and Indonesia have an unfavorable view of the United States, while Moroccans are split.

"There are some signs - especially in Indonesia, Morocco and even Turkey, where they've had their own experience with terrorist bombings - that there's less support than there was in 2003 for suicide bombings and for bin Laden," Pew director Andrew Kohut said.

Pew interviewed people in 17 countries, six of which - Indonesia, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Pakistan and Turkey - have majority Muslim populations. The polling was done before last week's terrorist bombings in London.

In Lebanon, the number of people who think the use of suicide bombing and other forms of violence is justified in defense of Islam has dropped from 73 percent in the summer of 2002 to 39 percent now. Smaller drops were seen in Morocco, from 40 percent a year ago to 13 percent now, and in Pakistan and Indonesia. In Jordan, the number of people who feel such violence is justified has grown slightly; the number in Turkey remains very low.

Since March 2004, the sentiment for suicide bombing against Americans and their allies in Iraq dropped from 70 percent to 49 percent in Jordan, which neighbors Iraq, and dropped by smaller margins in Pakistan, Turkey, and Morocco.

Public confidence in bin Laden has dipped sharply since May 2003 in Indonesia, Morocco, Lebanon and Turkey - all countries that have experienced recent terrorist bombings. In Pakistan and Jordan, a majority of people continue to say they have at least some confidence in bin Laden, the Saudi leader of al Qaeda.

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