Patriotism highlighted by survey

THE major survey of British Muslims showed they are “amongst the country’s most loyal, patriotic and law-abiding citizens”.

The nationwide poll finds that most British Muslims want to “fully integrate with non-Muslims in all aspects of life”, and are opposed to terrorism.

However, the study also found that a small minority of Muslims want to lead separate lives, and many believed that America orchestrated the 9/11 attacks itself.

Birmingham MP Khalid Mahmood, who helped organise the survey, said: “In an era in which intolerance and bigotry pose a growing challenge to our society, it cannot be stressed enough that most British Muslims want to integrate with their non-British neighbours.”

The study found that Muslims are more opposed to terrorism than the population as a whole, with 89 per cent of Muslims saying it is wrong to use violence for political purposes, and 93 per cent of British Muslims said they felt either a fairly strong, or very strong, attachment to Britain.

A majority – 53 per cent – wanted to fully integrate with nonMuslims in all aspects of life, with a further 37 per cent wanting to integrate on most things, although a small minority want to lead separate lives.

Only one in 100 was in favour of a “fully separate Islamic area in Britain, subject to Sharia Law and government”.

Asked about their top priorities, Muslims said they were most concerned about the NHS, jobs, immigration and getting more police on the streets.

And British Muslims are more likely to take part in our democratic system than the population as a whole, with 72 per cent saying they voted in an election in the past year compared to only 54 per cent of people generally.