Witness: Inside the Mind of the Suicide Bomber
Victim of suicide bomber
Director Tom Roberts is given unprecedented access to Palestinians who have attempted to blow up Israeli civilians along with themselves. Two – the older ones, in their 20s – were part of the organisation that built the bombs and transported the suicide bombers to their targeted area. Three were teenagers who had planned to turn themselves into devastating weapons. All are now in Israeli prisons.
These young men's lives have been dominated by the occupation of Palestine by Israel, and by the struggle for freedom and autonomy – the Intifada. The first Intifada started in 1987, the second in 2000. Over and over again peace negotiations have broken down and meanwhile the Palestinians have struggled to maintain the fabric of their lives. Many of the young people trapped in this downward spiral have been recruited by extreme Islamist organisations which describe to them the glory of a martyr's death.
The suicide bombers in the programme describe what they believe awaits them on their death: that they will feel no pain but will be welcomed by 70 beautiful virgins into heaven where rivers flow with milk, holy water and wine – non-alcoholic, of course.
In chilling contrast, they explain in detail how their weapons are constructed – belts consisting of nitroglycerine tubes and metal pieces, designed to do the maximum damage. 'Belts are better than bags because they are invisible.' Any Palestinian getting on to a bus with a bag is viewed with suspicion.
The film shows the aftermath of the bombings: wrecked buses; orthodox Jews hunting in the rubble for any bit of flesh so the bodies can be buried complete, according to the religious law. Recurring images for Israelis, whose everyday life is overshadowed by the threat of the random bomb, that does not discriminate between old and young, soldier and civilian, peacemaker or warmonger.
The Palestinians are also inundated with images of violence, in the towns, villages and refugee camps, and recycled endlessly on their television screens.
Can the deliberate targeting of civilians ever be justified? Are these young people freedom fighters, driven to extreme measures by decades of violent occupation? Or are they heartless fanatics, bent on destroying any prospect of peace with Israel? What are the peaceful alternatives on offer?
Read the transcript of the webchat with director Tom Roberts when the programme was first broadcast in November 2003.
