In Indonesia, the showcase “moderate” Islamic state, eleven percent of Muslims say suicide bombings are justifiable, and almost half support stoning adulterers to death: One in 10 Indonesians back suicide bombings-survey.

The survey, based on 1,200 respondents across Indonesia’s 33 provinces, showed 11.2 percent believed suicide bombings were justifiable on occasion while 0.5 percent said the method could always be justified to defend Islam from its enemies.

The survey also revealed that 8 percent support masterminds of past suicide bombings, including Noordin M. Top, the most wanted terror suspect in Indonesia, who authorities say is an expert in recruiting young suicide bombers among the country’s impoverished masses.

Police believe Top, a key operative of the al Qaeda-linked Jemaah Islamiah militant network, is on the run in rural areas of Indonesia’s main Java island.

Anti-terror campaigns in Indonesia have faced hurdles, including perceptions the United States is out to attack Islam, as well as the ample space given to militant voices and their sympathisers in the Indonesian media.

The survey also found that almost half the respondents back stoning as a punishment for adulterers while support for other extreme elements of Islamic sharia was also significant. ...

Only 2.5 percent back the Liberal Islam Network (JIL) while 11 percent agreed with causes advocated by the Indonesian Mujahidin Council (MMI) of Abu Bakar Bashir, who has been convicted on terrorism charges and identified by intelligence officials as the leader of Jemaah Islamiah.