WASHINGTON, July 26 (UPI) -- A poll shows a majority of those asked do not link the religion Islam to violence and that recent bombings have not led to more U.S. anti-Muslim bias.
The nationwide survey of 2,000 adults was conducted by the Pew Research Center for People & the Press and the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life. Slightly more than one third of respondents, or 36 percent, said they believed Islam was more likely than other religions to encourage violence, compared to 44 percent in 2003.
The poll was conducted between July 7, the day four terrorist bombs rocked London's transit system killing 56 people and wounding hundreds, and July 17.
"The results of this survey may be an indication that, while more work needs to be done, the American Muslim community's anti-terror message is finally being heard," said Nihad Awad, executive director of the Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations. "Ordinary Americans seem to understand that Islam, like Christianity, should not be defined by the acts of a tiny minority of extremists."
