NCJ Number
213024
Journal
Violence and Victims Volume: 20 Issue: 6 Dated: December 2005 Pages: 603-623
Date Published
December 2005
Length
21 pages
Annotation
Based on in-depth interviews with five Palestinian women and two Palestinian men serving sentences in an Israeli prison for attempted suicide bombings, this study examined the pathways to their decision to become a suicide bomber.
Abstract
This small sample of interviews with suicide bombers confirms previous findings on violent behavior, i.e., that those who perceive themselves as victims of violence often become perpetrators of violence. The most effective prevention is for family members and close friends to recognize signs of vulnerability to recruitment and persuade the potential bomber to seek constructive means of dealing with their feelings before contact has been made with a terrorist group. The study found that a host of factors influenced the decision to become a suicide bomber. Individual motivation ranged from ideological persuasion to the desire to avenge the death of a loved one or fellow Palestinian, to the enhancement of the bomber's individual and family social status in a culture that values martyrdom to advance the cause of the collective. In some cases, individuals with a grievance or who were dissatisfied with their personal lives or family situation were persuaded by someone in a terrorist group to become a suicide bomber. Recruitment outreach for suicide bombers is common in Palestinian communities, and it is easy for self-motivated volunteers to contact persons who can prepare them for the mission, since local terrorist leaders are well-known. Once this contact is made, the recruit begins a journey of preparation that usually cannot be stopped. The recruit is surrounded by members of the organization, who constantly encourage him/her to proceed in the journey to martyrdom. Isolation from family and friends facilitates protection from those who would persuade the recruit to change his/her mind. 47 notes and 60 references