Posted to findingDulcinea by Josh Katz
A television report from Lebanon’s Al-Jadid/New TV that aired on Aug. 19, 2008, portrays the mindset of some female terrorists in Gaza. “When the goal is the defense of the homeland, there is no difference between man and woman,” the reporter said. “The mothers and daughters of Palestine believe that death for the sake of a free Palestine is a cheap price to pay, compared to a life of humiliation under the boots of the occupation.” The reporter went on to say, “They believe that the upbringing of men requires mothers whose actions do not fall short of the actions of the men."
While Israel is struggling with the threat of female suicide bombers, Iraq has also become a breeding ground for their activity. There were few of them until last year, when eight women launched attacks. The number has skyrocketed in 2008, with 30 reported cases. The increased incidence of female suicide bombings ironically coincides with decreased levels of violence in the country this year.
On July 28, four women staged suicide attacks in Baghdad and the northern city of Kirkuk, killing more than 40 people. The majority of female suicide bombings this year—15 so far—have occurred in Diyala province, the Los Angeles Times reports. According to Iraqi commanders, the Sunni group al-Qaida in Iraq is targeting women for recruitment in the area.
Women “will get married to more than one man [from al-Qaida in Iraq] and get pregnant without knowing who the father is," said Saja Quadouri, the only female member of Diyala’s provincial council’s security committee. "Eventually, due to despair, hopelessness and fear, they get exploited to commit such crimes, as they become unwanted by society.”
U.S. commanders think that al-Qaida in Iraq is trying to use the grief experienced by women who have lost family members for recruitment purposes by preaching the potential for revenge. In response, the United States is supporting the work of the group Daughters of Iraq, consisting of about 200 female volunteers, to “search women at checkpoints,” the Associated Press reports.
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