1:56pm UK, Friday July 22, 2005

Radical clerics who preach violence are not out of touch with mainstream Muslim views, according to nearly half of British Muslims questioned in a poll.

The opinion poll for Sky News revealed that roughly the same number thought of themselves as Muslims first and British second.

pg10 fishermen swansea UK silence london bombings

Behind the face of Islam

Almost all - 91% - were against the bombings of July 7, but 2% agreed with what the suicide bombers did.

Around 88% thought there was no justification in the Koran for the bombings, but 5% thought there was.

The interviewees were asked to respond to the statement: "Muslim clerics who preach violence against the West are out of touch with mainstream Muslim opinon."

Nearly half - 46% - disagreed or strongly disagreed, while 54% thought they were out of touch.

And 46% said they thought of themselves as Muslim first and British second, with another 42% not differentiating.

Only 12% saw themselves as British first and Muslim second.

When asked if Britain's role in the Iraq war led to the bombings, just over 60% thought the war was largely to blame, while 40% did not agree.

Most - 79% - agreed that the Muslim community must take more responsibility for preventing young Muslims from becoming bombers.

Finally, one in five - 22% - said they had experienced increased racial or religious prejudice as a result of the bombings.

But 78% said they had not seen any backlash.

Communicate Research interviewed 462 UK-based Muslims by phone, most before Thursday's attacks.