The Times issues correction for 'misleading' headline on The Sun's 'sympathy for Isis' poll

'The survey did not distinguish between those who go to fight for Islamic State and those who join other factions in Syria'

Despite its headline, The Sun’s report contained the acknowledgement that “a clear majority of the 2.7 million Brits who follow Islam are moderate” (Getty)

The Times has issued a correction for its article on The Sun's poll under the headline "One in five British Muslims has sympathy for Isis".

Record numbers complained to the press industry watchdog after The Sun made its claim on Monday that British Muslims had "sympathy for jihadis".

The tabloid's claim was based on a survey of Muslim and non-Muslim opinions commissioned in the wake of the Paris attacks.

The study found 19 per cent of Muslims expressed at least "some sympathy" with young Muslims who had left the UK to join fighters in Syria.

In their article, The Times reported questions being raised about the "reliability" of the poll, writing: "Critics said that it did not make a distinction between those who have gone out to fight for Islamic State and the multitude of other factions, including the Shia militias and Kurds fighting in Syria."

Critics noted the word "jihadis" had appeared in The Sun's headline but not its question, nor had the question specified fighters were joining Isis.

The Sun's controversial front page

Despite its headline, The Sun's report contained the acknowledgement that "a clear majority of the 2.7 million Brits who follow Islam are moderate".

In its Corrections and Clarifications section, The Times wrote: "We reported the findings of a Survation poll of 1,000 British Muslims (News, Nov 24). Asked 'How do you feel about young Muslims who leave the UK to join fighters in Syria?', 14 per cent of respondents expressed 'some sympathy' and 5 per cent 'a lot of sympathy'.

"The survey did not distinguish between those who go to fight for Islamic State and those who join other factions in Syria, and it did not ask about attitudes towards Isis itself. Our headline, 'One in five British Muslims has sympathy for Isis', was misleading in failing to reflect this."