WASHINGTON: Seven years after the September 11 attacks, there is no consensus outside the United States that Islamist militants from al-Qaida were responsible, according to an international poll.
The survey of 16,063 people in 17 nations found majorities in only nine countries believe al-Qaida was behind the attacks on New York and Washington that killed about 3,000 people in 2001.
US officials squarely blame al-Qaida, whose leader Osama bin Laden has boasted of organising the suicide attacks by his followers using hijacked commercial airliners.
On average, 46% of those surveyed said al-Qaida was responsible, 15% said the US government, 7% said Israel and 7% said some other perpetrator. The poll published on Wednesday reveals that one in four people said they did not know who was behind the attacks.
The poll was conducted by WorldPublicOpinion.org , a collaborative project of research centres in various countries managed by the Program on International Policy Attitudes at the University of Maryland in the United States.
In Europe, al-Qaida was cited by 56% of Britons and Italians, 63% of French and 64% of Germans. The US government was to blame, according to 23% of Germans and 15% of Italians.
Respondents in the Middle East were especially likely to name a perpetrator other than al-Qaida, the poll found.
Israel was behind the attacks, said 43% of people in Egypt, 31% in Jordan and 19% in the Palestinian Territories.
Israel was behind the attacks, said 43% of people in Egypt, 31% in Jordan and 19% in the Palestinian Territories.
The US government was blamed by 36% of Turks and 27% of Palestinians. In Mexico, 30% cited the US government and 33% named al-Qaida.
The only countries with overwhelming majorities blaming al-Qaida were Kenya with 77% and Nigeria with 71%. Interviews were conducted in China, Indonesia, Nigeria, Russia, Egypt, France, Germany, Britain, Italy, Jordan, Kenya, Mexico, the Palestinian Territories, South Korea, Taiwan, Turkey and Ukraine.
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