(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – More people in Pakistan are now expressing sympathy for a global terrorist network, according to a poll by WorldPublicOpinion.org. 25 per cent of respondents support al-Qaeda’s attacks on American people and share its attitudes towards the United States, up nine points since September.
(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – More people in Pakistan are now expressing sympathy for a global terrorist network, according to a poll by WorldPublicOpinion.org. 25 per cent of respondents support al-Qaeda’s attacks on American people and share its attitudes towards the United States, up nine points since September.
On the other hand, 34 per cent of respondents oppose al-Qaeda’s attacks but share their attitudes towards the U.S., and 28 per cent reject al-Qaeda’s actions and attitudes altogether.
Afghanistan has been the main battleground in the war on terrorism. The conflict began in October 2001, after the Taliban regime refused to hand over Osama bin Laden without evidence of his participation in the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York and Washington. Al-Qaeda operatives hijacked and crashed four airplanes on Sept. 11, 2001, killing nearly 3,000 people.
Pakistan is an ally in the U.S.-led war on terror in Afghanistan. Washington has given close to $10.5 billion U.S. in military and economic aid to Pakistan since 2002.
Pakistan’s north-western ungoverned ethnic Pashtun belt has become a major concern for those involved in the fight against terrorism, since it is believed terrorist camps and activity are flourishing in the area.
In June, Mustafa Abu al-Yazid, al-Qaeda’s leader in Afghanistan, said that he hoped for a nuclear attack against the United States, saying, "God willing, the [Pakistani] nuclear weapons will not fall into the hands of the Americans and the mujahedeen would take them and use them against the Americans."
Polling Data
How do you feel about al-Qaeda?
|
|
May 2009
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Sept. 2008
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Feb. 2007
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I support al Qaeda’s attacks on Americans and share its attitudes toward the U.S.
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25%
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16%
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10%
|
|
I oppose al Qaeda’s attacks on Americans but share many of its attitudes toward the U.S.
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34%
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15%
|
6%
|
|
I oppose al Qaeda’s attacks on Americans and do not share its attitudes toward the U.S.
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28%
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22%
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16%
|
|
Refused / Don’t know
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13%
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47%
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68%
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Source: WorldPublicOpinion.org
Methodology: Interviews with 1,000 Pakistani adults, conducted from May 17 to May 28, 2009. Margin of error is 3.2 per cent.
