Million voices.

They said: "Many are called and few are chosen,"
But I wish some wasn’t chosen
for the blood spilling of Rwanda.

They said: "Meshach, Shadrack and Abednego,
Thrown in the fire but you never get burned,"
but I wish that I didn't get burned in Rwanda.

This song, the million voices, from the motion picture ‘Hotel Rwanda’ always manages to evoke strange mix of hope and sorrow in me. On our journey, we realized that the people we are meeting are ‘chosen’. We also wondered if they also felt if they weren’t the ones chosen. We have but 1 way out. We decide to ask them.

Stay with us as we give you the glimpses into the minds of soldiers and they share with you what they feel. So this is a section for them, to contribute. A huge collage, a gigantic graffiti of write ups, discussions, poems et al.

The first one talks about suicide terrorism. Keep coming back for more.

SUICIDE TERRORISM

Suicide attack may be defined as “politically motivated violent attack perpetrated by a self aware individual or individuals who actively and purposely causes his own death through blowing himself along with chosen target. The perpetrators ensured death is a precondition for the success of his mission.”
Suicide bombing thus, aims at destroying a specific target.
However, in most cases, the real intention is to create an atmosphere of terror which should be translated into political gains.
The principal difference between suicide bombing and other types of terrorism is embedded in a tactical perspective.
The terrorist’s death, by means of the detonation of an explosive charge, is an integral part of the execution of the operation and constitutes an essential condition of its success.


Having a broader look on the international terrorism from front we observe that there has been a sustained hike in cases of suicide terrorism. Let try and get an insight in the mind of the terrorist and have a pragmatic look on the problem.

Suicide attacks are the most destructive type of terrorism, which almost fulfills all the prerequisites of terrorism like terrorize innocent peoples, gain publicity and cause panic. Only in few isolated cases the suicidal attack was foiled and most of the times the attacker has been successful in carrying out the attack. Any suicidal attack is well planned and laid out with lots of dry run being carried out by the attacker, hence to counter the suicide attack is a difficult task. However, continuous tactical operations, government policy and lots of luck may elude the suicide attacker to carry out his motives.

Terrorist’s Mind
Suicide attacks originated during the Israel- Arab conflict. Certain statements which bring out the mind and the thought process are elucidated below

When a Palestinian militant, who was training to become a suicide bomber, was interviewed by a reporter he said “THE DECISION TO BECOME A MARTYR CAME.WHEN ONE DAY I RETURNED HOME TO FIND MY FAMILY IN A STATE OF PANIC.THE NIGHT BEFORE ISRAELI SOLIDIERS VISITED”, shows the motivation and reason to become a suicide bomber, the atrocities carried out by Israeli soldiers on Palestinian soil motivated him to sacrifice his life.

“I AM PREPARING TO MEET GOD, I WISH FOR IT (DEATH) MORE THAN I WISH FOR LIFE”, the individual is so much indoctrinated to become a martyr that he is just waiting for the day to accomplish his mission and lay his life

“I CAN GO TO PARADISE.IT IS BETTER TO BE IN PARADISE THAN TO BE HERE”, the militant however was neutralized by Israeli soldiers before he could carry out his suicide attack but the mere statement means that the individual has no meaning for life. He has believed in something which no body has seen as ‘Paradise’. He strongly feels that the unknown world is better.

The Study of Personal Motivations
The first generation of scholars in the field focused on the socio-demographic characteristics and the personality traits of the suicide bombers.
Most of these studies came to the conclusion that suicide bombers exhibit no distinct features.
The second generation of studies emphasized the role of social networks and the surrounding community in motivating individuals to perpetrate such attacks.



Crisis and Commitment as Individual Motivations

Various organizational and individual motivations work towards creating a suicide bomber. They are:
(a) Communal Crisis
(b) Personal Crisis
(c) Commitment to social network
(d) Commitment to organizational framework
These motivations are not mutually exclusive. Contrary to early assumptions commitment is a better predictor than crisis.



Is suicide bombing religion based?

Suicide terrorism is not always a religious phenomenon. It is not predominantly an Islamic brutality instead facts reveal that LTTE has carried out much more suicidal attacks. Recent studies relate to leaders of terrorist organizations as rational actors which is ridiculous.
The terrorist organization will use this strategy only as long as it serves its strategic, domestic and organizational purposes. In order to carry out a successful suicide campaign there is a need for individuals to perpetrate the acts and a community which will support them. Hence, the organizations make efforts to glorify suicide missions and to instill a ‘culture of hatred and death’ within the community.



What draws outfits to engage suicide terrorism-?
1. 100 % success: A suicide attack is virtually guaranteed success once he has set off on his mission. It is extremely difficult to identify a suicide target and stopping him from activation of charge.

2. Security of cadre: In a suicide attack a target can cause large scale destruction which otherwise requires a large no of cadre. There is also no fear of being caught afterwards, being interrogated by the SF and leaking of info which may endanger other cadres.

3. Collateral damage: Suicide attacks result in many causalities and cause extensive damage.

4. World Wide publicity: Suicide attack attracts wide media coverage and publicity. By which trts can terrorize the people and help in gaining poll mileage by putting govt under pr.

5. No escape plan: After a successful attack withdrawal or escape is a difficult part of the Op, which requires detailed planning because by the time surprise has been already lost. But in suicide there is no requirement for escape plan.

6. Flexibility: Suicide attacker can carry out the attack at the most appropriate time and place of his choice with regard to the circumstances at the tgt.

Why?

1. For acquiring poll goals and status.
2. Religious beliefs, fanaticism
a. Considered as a religious msn, the ‘ jihad’ or ‘ holy war’
b. Eternal life in paradise
c. The permission to see the face of Allah

3. Martyrdom He will be seen as a martyr who sacrificed his life in the process of fulfilling a religious command.
4. Revenge to revenge killing of family members by the SF.
5. Economic improvement the family of the suicide bomber receives financial rewards after the attack which will help in improvement of family economic condition
6. improvement in social status
7. personal image considered as patriot




Who?
Characteristics of suicide bomber

1. Young: Usually from 18-27 yrs.
2. Male/ Female: Mostly male but there is an incr trend in female suicide bomber because of easy deception.
3. Not Married
4. Educated
5. Devoted student of Islamic fundamentalism
6. poor family
7. Kids, security forces can also be used in future.

Part II

Modus Operandi

Targets

1. VIP
2. SF post
3. Public transportation
4. Bus/ Rly stn
5. Entertainment and shopping centers
6. Mil instl.
7. Religious places
8. National monuments

Methods of attack

1. Human bomb: This method is adopted for specific targets.

2. Vehicle Bomb: Vehicles loaded with explosives are used to force entry into barricades of security forces to reach the target and blow it off.

3. Airplanes: Likewise in Sep 11 attack; in future also aero planes can be used as an effective mode of attack

4. Gate crashing: Suicide terrorists generally follow this method in J & K.

5. Request for lift: In the guise of SF and innocent civ they may request for lift to SF vehs and carry out suicide attacks.

6. Boats Expl laden boats can be used to strike at tgts and initiate explosion. This method is followed by LTTE.