German majority disapproves of Osama killing, poll shows

May 5, 2011, 21:16 GMT

Hamburg - A majority of Germans disapprove of the killing of al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, with only 42 per cent conceding that the United States had a right to kill him, a poll for ARD public television showed Thursday.

The poll found 52 per cent were of the view that the United States ought to have arrested Osama bin Laden and delivered him to the International Criminal Court for trial.

The poll followed days of criticism of Chancellor Angela Merkel, who said Monday she was 'happy' the al-Qaeda leader was dead.

ARD said only 28 per cent believed his death was a reason to be happy, whereas 64 per cent said happiness at his death was inappropriate.

Asked if the danger to the world from terrorism had grown or receded, 51 per cent said the danger was higher after the killing and 45 per cent said it was unchanged. Some 79 per cent said they expected terrorist attacks to happen in Germany.

ARD commissioned the survey Monday and Tuesday of 1,001 voting age Germans from the Infratest Dimap polling company.

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