Less Confidence in bin Laden Among Muslims

Support for Osama bin Laden has declined considerably among Muslim publics in recent years, and considerably so in Indonesia, Pakistan and Jordan. Since 2003, the percentage of Muslims who say they have confidence in the leader of al Qaeda to do the right thing regarding world affairs has fallen 34 points in Indonesia (down to 25%) and 28 points in both Pakistan (down to 18%) and Jordan (down to 28%). And the little support for bin Laden among Muslims in 2003 has all but evaporated in Turkey (2% confident) and Lebanon (4% confident) in 2009. Support for bin Laden has also fallen in the Palestinian territories (down 20 points from 2003), but a majority of Palestinian Muslims still have confidence in him (52%). Nigeria is the only public where bin Laden currently enjoys more support now than earlier this decade; 54% of Nigerian Muslims have confidence in the al Qaeda leader, up from 44% in 2003. Read More