Research: ISIS seen as biggest threat in world despite expected defeat in Iraq
ISIS is viewed as the biggest threat in the world despite the terror group’s looming defeat in Iraq, new research has found.
A survey by the Pew Research Centre found that ISIS was named as the top threat by citizens in 18 countries, including the UK, France, Germany and the US.
Across Europe, 74 per cent said they view ISIS as a major threat to their country.
However, the terror group has a crumbling hold on territories in Iraq.
Iraq’s Defence Ministry has completed preparations for retaking Tal Afar, ISIS’ last stronghold in the ancient Assyrian city of Nineveh.
The Iraqi Defence Ministry has said it is waiting for orders to launch operations for the enclave.
People with right-wing views were found to be more likely to see ISIS as a threat, researchers found.
The Pew survey also showed that people living in 13 countries, mostly concentrated in Africa and Latin America, felt climate change was the greatest threat they faced.
More than half of the respondents from the 38 countries polled thought cyberattacks by foreign powers were a cause for concern.
Japanese respondents said cyber attacks were the biggest the biggest cause for concern.
In Greece and Venezuela, respondents said the condition of the global economy was the biggest threat they faced.
Hungary was the only country to view the influx of refugees as the biggest threat to worry about.
Researchers also found that attitudes varied towards the threat posed by Russian president Vladimir Putin’s regime.
The Pew report stated: “While Russia’s power and influence are not named as the greatest threat in any of the countries polled in Europe or North America, there is particular concern in Poland (65 per cent).
“And 47 per cent in the US see Russia as a major threat, but there is a partisan divide: 61 per cent of Democrats say Russia’s power and influence is a major threat, compared with only 36 per cent of Republicans. Across all of Europe, a median of 41 per cent perceive Russia as a major threat.”
Concerns over US influence have also risen since Donald Trump was elected President, it was found.
The report said: “US power and influence is seen as a major threat by a median of 31 per cent across Europe.
“Spain, however, is an outlier, with 59 per cent worried about the US In six European countries surveyed and Canada, worries about American power and influence are up since 2016.”
Source: AP
