Migration expert warns that more than 50m Muslims are willing to support violence and terror attacks in defence of Islam

A Dutch migration expert has warned that there are more than 50 million Muslims willing to accept violence and support those who carry out terror attacks to defend their religion.

In light of the refugee crisis which has seen millions of Muslims from war-torn Asian and African countries coming into Europe, Professor Ruud Koopmans who is the Director of the Research Unit Migration, Integration, Trans-nationalisation at the Berlin Social Sciences Centre warned the European Union to block the entry of any refugees whose identity cannot be categorically confirmed.
 
According to Koopmans, of the 1 billion adult Muslims in the world, 'half of them are attached to an arch-conservative Islam which places little worth on the rights of women, homosexuals, and people of other faiths'. 

He also said that of these 500 million conservative Muslims, 50 million of them are willing to sanction violence in defense of Islam adding that not every one of them was ready to exert violence directly

'They support the radicals, they encourage them and provide them shelter or simply keep their mouths shut when they observe radicalization,' he added.

According to him, he considers his own estimate of 50 million 'an understatement', citing studies that show eight per cent of German Muslims agreed to the use of violence against 'Infidels,' while in his own country 11 per cent of Muslims agreed with the statement:

'There are situations in which it is acceptable for me from the perspective of my religion, that I use violence'.

Citing a study by the US-based Pew Research Center, Koopmans said that in several Islamic countries, 14 per cent of local Muslims think suicide attacks against innocents are 'sometimes' or 'often' justified to defend Islam.

'I'm very conservative with my estimate of 50million violent Muslims,' said Professor Koopmans.

He said he sees a 'clear difference' between anti-Islam baiting and justified criticism of Islam.

'There is nothing wrong with foreign cultures, as long as they are looking for the connection to the majority in society and actually enrich our countries. 

'But those who are here to spread their medieval beliefs, which are unfortunately widespread in Islamic countries, must be met with zero tolerance'.

He urged the EU to be much more careful to allow suspected Islamists have uncontrolled travel to and within Europe adding that refugees and migrants should be placed initially in transit zones, 'as long as their identity is unclear'.

Express.co.uk