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Who are the suicide bombers?
The tabloid media profile of a suicide bomber is a desperate, poor, psychotic young male, actively recruited by murderous organisations. He is brainwashed into undertaking a suicide act and lionised by his family and community.
Academics disagree. They describe young single adults aged 18-23, mostly, but not exclusively, male, well-educated, and often living more comfortably than many whose cause they represent. Most are volunteers; few have been long-term members of terror groups and very few have a violent or criminal past. Their families neither know nor approve.
Of the 19 Al Qaeda hijackers believed to be responsible for 9/11, 15 were from comfortable Saudi families. Most had lived in or were educated in the West.
Although Al Qaeda won't recruit women, up to 40% of the Tamil Tiger suicide bombings were by women. Palestinian and Chechen women increasingly undertake bombing missions, too.
Professor Alberto Abadie sees a stronger link to levels of political freedom than to levels of poverty. Suicide bombers share a sense that they live highly commodified, controlled and devalued lives. Their despair is political rather than personal – though among Palestinians, volunteering often follows the killing of a friend or relative by occupying forces.
The youngest Palestinian suicide bomber who completed his mission was Amer al Far, a 16-year-old. Since the Second Intifada (uprising) of 2000, Israeli occupying forces have killed more than 650 Palestinian children; more than 115 Israeli children have died in terror attacks.
A political and military choice
United Nations worker, Nasra Hassan, interviewed aspiring suicide bombers and recruiters in Gaza. None displayed depression or suicidal tendencies. American clinical psychologist, Rona Fields, has researched terrorism in 11 countries. She sees suicide terrorism as a 'choice', not a sickness, motivated less by religion than by a desire for 'retributive justice'. Iranian writer Farhad Khasrokhavar describes most suicide bombers as motivated by hatred and despair. They have real grievances and a sense of humiliation.
He views Al Qaeda's case, though, as humiliation by proxy. Al Qaeda's leaders are middle and upper class. They feel part of modernity but exiled from it; they inhabit a world of affluence that ignores and despises Muslims. Al Qaeda recruits foot soldiers among Muslims who feel racist exclusion and humiliation at first hand. Khasrokhavar contrasts the 'tormented souls' of suicide bombers within genuine political struggles against occupation, with the 'cold new followers of Allah' – the leaders of Al Qaeda.
