A German study has revealed that while many Muslims in Germany have fundamentalist viewpoints, a large majority rejects terrorist attacks.
Commissioned by Germany’s Interior Ministry, the study found that four out of 10 Muslims in Germany would justify the use of violence in case Islam was threatened by the West. The study, which questioned 1,750 Muslims all over the country, was carried out by the Institute of Criminology at the University of Hamburg.
It also found that nearly half of all Muslims living in German believe they will be granted entry to paradise if they die defending their religion.
However, an overwhelming majority of Muslims living in Germany reject terrorism. More than 80 percent reject the idea of suicide bombings, with nearly 9 percent claiming such attacks are cowardly and damaging for Islam.
Interior Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble, Germany’s top security official, told the Frankfurter Rundschau newspaper the findings showed a “serious potential for Islamic radicalization.” Sociology experts, however, argue that the high level of social marginalization experienced by young Muslims and their lack of chances to succeed in society drive them toward radical views.
