Over a quarter of UK Muslims 'sympathise' with Charlie Hebdo massacre motives

Significant mninority of British Muslims sympathised with reasons for Charlie Hebdo massacre — Significant minority of British Muslims sympathised with reasons for Charlie Hebdo massacre Getty

More than a quarter of British Muslims say they sympathise with the motives for the Charlie Hebdo massacre.

A poll for the BBC found 27% of Muslims in Britain support in some way the religious-inspired attack on the satirical Paris magazine, which sparked worldwide outrage at the killings of 11 people.

More than two thirds of Muslims said acts of religious-inspired violence like the Hebdo shootings cannot ever be justified, compared to 24% who believe it can.

A large majority of Muslims (78%) said images of the Islamic prophet Mohammed – which triggered the Paris bloodbath – are always unwarranted.

A total of 85% of Muslims said they felt no sympathy for groups opposed to "Western interests" which use violence to fight them.

Overall, 95% of Muslims feel a loyalty to Britain and 93% feel responsible for following British law, the ComRes survey of 1,000 Muslim Britons found.

However 46% said they felt prejudice against Islam made living in Britain difficult.

Check the full poll findings here.