Ten percent of Turks do not see Islamic State as terrorist body - survey

[lostinblue 1,989]

ANKARA, Jan 12 (Reuters) - Nearly one-in-ten Turks do not regard Islamic State as a terrorist organisation, and more than 5 percent agree with their actions, according to a new survey published on Tuesday.

The data was released on the same day as a suspected Syrian suicide bomb attack in the heart of Istanbul's tourist district which killed at least 10 people and raised fresh fears of Islamist violence in the NATO member country.

The United Nations, including Turkey, brand the group, which has taken swathes of land in Syria and Iraq, a terrorist organisation.

The research, entitled Turkey's Social Trends Survey, was carried out by an Ankara-based think-tank and surveyed more than 1,500 people across Turkey -- a predominantly Sunni Muslim nation -- in November.

In response to questions, 9.3 percent of respondents said that Islamic State was not a terrorist organisation, with 5.4 percent supporting its actions.

Twenty-one percent said it represents Islam and 8.9 percent believe the group is a country or state, according to the research, which paints a picture of a small but significant pool of potential Islamic State sympathisers among Turkey's 78 million inhabitants.

Conversely, fears over terrorism, both generally and specifically from Islamic State and the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), dominated the list of concerns expressed by respondents.

"There are two conflicting positions that we have here," Suleyman Ozeren, President of Global Policy and Strategy, the report's authors, told Reuters.

"But the high number of people supporting IS actions should concern us. It also tells us that prevention of radicalisation policies should be the number one priority for the government. Once people are radicalised it's very difficult to deradicalise them."

Turkey has stepped up its fight against Islamists, playing an active role in the U.S.-led coalition bombing Islamic State in neighbouring Syria and Iraq.

Last year it was rocked by two suicide bomb attacks blamed on Islamic State in the southeastern town of Suruc and Ankara, the capital. In the latter, more than 100 people were killed.

Critics have at the same time accused the Turkish government of failing to crack down sufficiently on Islamist networks using Turkey as a route to smuggle would-be jihadists into Syria.

Ankara has also been caught in bitter conflict with PKK militants since the collapse of a ceasefire last July.

The Social Trends Survey covered a range of topics, including President Tayyip Erdogan's desire to introduce an executive presidency.

Almost 50 percent said they favoured the current parliamentary system, with 28.6 percent in favour of a presidential system. More than 22 percent said they had no opinion or declined to answer. (Reporting by Jonny Hogg; Editing by Ece Toksabay and Richard Balmforth)

http://www.trust.org/item/20160112154230-7c2sb/

[The Nature Boy 7,659]

Ankara has killer beaches

Edited January 13, 2016 by Nature Boy Flair

[Rob L 3,811]

No Monopoly on knuckleheads in Turkey : 29 % of Americans think we are on the verge of a revolution:

That the time has come for armed revolution.

You know those people who seem to buy more guns than they could possibly need? Well, it seems they’re stockpiling: Fairleigh Dickinson University’s PublicMind last year had some 29 percent of poll respondents saying that a bloody fight against the U.S. government “isn’t just imminent but imperative.” That'll be fun.

ANKARA, Jan 12 (Reuters) - Nearly one-in-ten Turks do not regard Islamic State as a terrorist organisation, and more than 5 percent agree with their actions, according to a new survey published on Tuesday.

The data was released on the same day as a suspected Syrian suicide bomb attack in the heart of Istanbul's tourist district which killed at least 10 people and raised fresh fears of Islamist violence in the NATO member country.

The United Nations, including Turkey, brand the group, which has taken swathes of land in Syria and Iraq, a terrorist organisation.

The research, entitled Turkey's Social Trends Survey, was carried out by an Ankara-based think-tank and surveyed more than 1,500 people across Turkey -- a predominantly Sunni Muslim nation -- in November.

In response to questions, 9.3 percent of respondents said that Islamic State was not a terrorist organisation, with 5.4 percent supporting its actions.

Twenty-one percent said it represents Islam and 8.9 percent believe the group is a country or state, according to the research, which paints a picture of a small but significant pool of potential Islamic State sympathisers among Turkey's 78 million inhabitants.

Conversely, fears over terrorism, both generally and specifically from Islamic State and the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), dominated the list of concerns expressed by respondents.

"There are two conflicting positions that we have here," Suleyman Ozeren, President of Global Policy and Strategy, the report's authors, told Reuters.

"But the high number of people supporting IS actions should concern us. It also tells us that prevention of radicalisation policies should be the number one priority for the government. Once people are radicalised it's very difficult to deradicalise them."

Turkey has stepped up its fight against Islamists, playing an active role in the U.S.-led coalition bombing Islamic State in neighbouring Syria and Iraq.

Last year it was rocked by two suicide bomb attacks blamed on Islamic State in the southeastern town of Suruc and Ankara, the capital. In the latter, more than 100 people were killed.

Critics have at the same time accused the Turkish government of failing to crack down sufficiently on Islamist networks using Turkey as a route to smuggle would-be jihadists into Syria.

Ankara has also been caught in bitter conflict with PKK militants since the collapse of a ceasefire last July.

The Social Trends Survey covered a range of topics, including President Tayyip Erdogan's desire to introduce an executive presidency.

Almost 50 percent said they favoured the current parliamentary system, with 28.6 percent in favour of a presidential system. More than 22 percent said they had no opinion or declined to answer. (Reporting by Jonny Hogg; Editing by Ece Toksabay and Richard Balmforth)

http://www.trust.org/item/20160112154230-7c2sb/

Ankara has killer beaches

You didn't mean literally killer did you?

[The Nature Boy 7,659]

No Monopoly on knuckleheads in Turkey : 29 % of Americans think we are on the verge of a revolution:

That the time has come for armed revolution.

You know those people who seem to buy more guns than they could possibly need? Well, it seems theyre stockpiling: Fairleigh Dickinson Universitys PublicMind last year had some 29 percent of poll respondents saying that a bloody fight against the U.S. government isnt just imminent but imperative. That'll be fun.

You didn't mean literally killer did you?

It's a 70s stoner term and Gary reference

[Darnell 8,479]

wait wait - it's Turkey - wouldn't you think 10 percent would be the normal data error rate anyway ?

[ExPatty 502]

In Nigeria a higher percentage of people than 10 view the Islamic state with a favorable rating. Millions upon millions of peace loving Muslims hold Isis in a positive esteem. This according to pewresearch.

islam is clearly incompatible with western values.

Edited January 13, 2016 by ExPatty

[Boiler 46,359]

In Nigeria a higher percentage of people than 10 view the Islamic state with a favorable rating. Millions upon millions of peace loving Muslims hold Isis in a positive esteem. This according to pewresearch.

islam is clearly incompatible with western values.

Western values are incompatible with Islam I think you mean, the values of the Prophet must be upheld.

[Expat1 971]

Western values are incompatible with Islam I think you mean, the values of the Prophet must be upheld.

Conclusion: Never underestimate the power of the Dark Side

Edited January 14, 2016 by Expat1

[ExPatty 502]

Western values are incompatible with Islam I think you mean, the values of the Prophet must be upheld.

As compatible as a diet is to a Chinese buffet. Never has or will respect anything approximating the first amendment. Convert, die, or live as a subject.

[The Nature Boy 7,659]

Most studies put the sympathy among Muslims for Isis at about 30%. That is a lot of folks

[Darnell 8,479]

Western values are incompatible with Islam I think you mean, the values of the Prophet must be upheld.

this is a great sentence for the 'In My Pants' game. Please come play, soonish, next-ish, now?

[Darnell 8,479]

Most studies put the sympathy among Muslims for Isis at about 30%. That is a lot of folks

Ya, so for the study coming out of Turkey, a SECULAR country that has lots of Muslimy stuff there, 10 percent is aberrent.

[Rob L 3,811]

I am not sure what your data source is, Pew research shows 99% of Lebanese , ( a 54 % muslim nation) have an unfavorable view of ISIS.

The sterotypes of Muslims is not supported by the data

In Nigeria a higher percentage of people than 10 view the Islamic state with a favorable rating. Millions upon millions of peace loving Muslims hold Isis in a positive esteem. This according to pewresearch.

islam is clearly incompatible with western values.

Western values are incompatible with Islam I think you mean, the values of the Prophet must be upheld.

Most studies put the sympathy among Muslims for Isis at about 30%. That is a lot of folks

[ExPatty 502]

I am not sure what your data source is, Pew research shows 99% of Lebanese , ( a 54 % muslim nation) have an unfavorable view of ISIS.

The sterotypes of Muslims is not supported by the data

You dispute my claim that "In Nigeria a higher percentage of people than 10 view the Islamic state with a favorable rating" by posting a link that...shows "In Nigeria a higher percentage of people than 10 view the Islamic state with a favorable rating".

lmao

[Boiler 46,359]

Wow only 25% have an unfavourable view in Pakistan. Even I would not have gone that low.