Support for suicide attacks, Osama down

WASHINGTON (AFP) - The number of Muslims around the world who say suicide attacks are acceptable has fallen sharply in the past six years, as has Muslims’ confidence in Osama bin Laden, a survey by a US think-tank showed Thursday.

But, the Pew Research Centre warned in its Global Attitudes Project, significant minorities of Muslims in eight countries surveyed continue to endorse suicide bombings and support the Al-Qaeda leader.

In Lebanon, the number of Muslims who said suicide attacks can be justified often or sometimes in defence of Islam fell by 42 percent between 2002 to this year, the study showed.

But although down sharply from 74 percent six years ago, one in three Muslims in Lebanon still backed suicide attacks.

In Pakistan, support for suicide bombings has fallen by 28 percent to a scant five percent in the past six years.

In Jordan, support has dropped 18 points since 2002, but a quarter of Jordanian Muslims still support suicide attacks.