Lt. Colonel discusses motivations of women and children suicide bombers Anat Berko probes the mindset of terrorists, jihadist culture

A former lieutenant colonel in the Israeli Defense Forces visited Binghamton University to take students into the minds of suicide bombers.

Anat Berko speaks to students Monday night in C4. In her talk, organized by Camera Fellowship, BUZO, Bearcats for Israel, StandWithUs and Dorm Room Diplomacy, Berko aimed to provide insight on how and why suicide bombers decide to engage in violent activities.

Anat Berko, a lecturer at the International Institute for Counter-Terrorism, spoke Monday night about understanding how and why suicide bombers engage in such violent activity.

“I spent 20 years in high-security prisons speaking with members of Hamas, Fatah and Islamic jihadists. Imagine the Israeli version of Guantanamo Bay, but probably a bit nicer,” she said.

The focus of her talk was the role of women and adolescents in Islamic terror attacks and the mental abuse that leads many of these people to try and take their own lives.

“Today we see a wave of female and children bombers. There have been over 50 female suicide bombers in just Iraq,” she said.

She described how many female terrorists had been sexually assaulted as young women or children.

“Many times these girls are sexually abused,” she said. “And if they commit a ‘mistake’ or are involved with a man they are ruined. But for the man it is always okay.”

Berko went on to describe the double standards in jihadist organizations.

“After a woman blows herself up, she is not really a hero. Everyone wonders what was wrong with her. Nobody says she gets 72 virgin men in heaven,” she said. “When a woman blows herself up, men argue that she reveals too much flesh.”

Berko illustrated her arguments with quotes from prisoners she had interviewed.

“I object that women will go and blow themselves up,” said Sheikh Abu Ter, vice prime minister of Hamas. “It’s crossing the red line.”

Berko also described the scope of child involvement in terrorist attacks.

“There are instances of recruiters waiting for children right out of school. They would just go after students like drug dealers,” she said. “I spoke with a 15-year-old boy in prison, and you could tell he had been beaten and abused.”

Yet when asked if terrorist leaders were often willing to sacrifice their own children, Berko answered bluntly.

“No. What do you think?” she said. “They like to abuse the children of others, not their own.”

Though she sympathized with the background many suicide bombers grew up in, Berko was critical of jihadist culture.

“There is [an] omnipotent feeling bombers have that they can decide who lives and who dies,” she said. “But this causes severe damage to the Muslim world, not the West.”

Many of the nearly 100 students in the Chenango Champlain Collegiate Center multipurpose rooms said they felt shocked and overwhelmed after the presentation.

“It made me really sad. I didn’t realize how involved women were in this and how terrible some of their lives were. It makes me want to do something, but I can’t think of what,” said Phoebe O’Connor, a junior majoring in philosophy, politics and law.

Other students said the presentation gave them new perspective.

“I found this event amazing. Very sad, but amazing,” said Jacob Sneider, a junior majoring in mechanical engineering. “It humanizes some of the terrorists. It doesn’t excuse what they do, but you understand them better.”

Justin Hayet, an organizer from the Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America (CAMERA) and a sophomore majoring in political science, said that Berko helped bring a balanced view of Middle Eastern affairs to BU.

“The presentation went well and dealt with dense and intense topics,” he said. “It is important for campus events to have unbiased truth. If there is a presenter that accurately showcases Israel in an accurate positive or negative light we want to show that. Today we had a variety of different clubs co-sponsor this event and a lot of different people showed up.”

The event was co-sponsored by BUZO (Binghamton University Zionist Organization), StandWithUs, Bearcats for Israel and Dorm Room Diplomacy.

Fatah: Female suicide bombers are "Palestine's illustrious women"

Two female suicide bombers who together killed 3 and wounded more than 130 are being presented by Fatah as great role models worthy of admiration. 

Recently, the administrator of one of Fatah's official Facebook pages posted a picture of terrorist Wafa Idris with the words, "Palestine's illustrious women."

A few days later, the same Fatah 
page glorified female suicide bomberZainab Abu Salem as "the 18 year-old heroic female Martyrdom-seeker." 

Following Palestinian Media Watch's exposure last week that Fatah used this Facebook page to glorify theterrorist shooter of a 9 year-old girl, the post was removed from Fatah's official Facebook page. However, the posts praising the two female suicide bombers still remain.

The text honoring terrorist Zainab Abu Salem describes her terror attack and how she "immediately blew herself up" when an Israeli Border Policeman wanted to check her bag. And as if assigning a pious and holy quality to her terror attack, the administrator also notes how she "wore ahijab (religious headscarf) and when she blew herself up, the hijab didn't leave her head."

Zainab Abu Salem carried out a suicide attack at the French Hill junction in Jerusalem (Sept. 22, 2004). Two Israeli Border Policemen were killed and 30 people were wounded.

Wafa Idris was the first Palestinian female suicide bomber. She killed one and injured over 100 in her attack in central Jerusalem in 2002. As a volunteer for the Palestinian Red Crescent, she was able to bypass Israeli security and enter Jerusalem in a Palestinian ambulance.

PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas is also Chairman of Fatah.

PMW has documented that Fatah repeatedly uses its official Facebook page to glorify suicide terrorists and other terrorists who have killed Israeli civilians.

The following are the posts from Fatah's official Facebook page glorifying the suicide bombers:

Fatah glorification of terrorist Zainab Abu Salem:

Text:

"The eighth anniversary of [the death] of the female Martyrdom-seeker Zainab Abu Salem. Today, Sunday, Sept. 22, is the anniversary of the [death] of 18 year-old heroic female Martyrdom-seeker Zainab Abu Salem.

The female Martyrdom-seeker lived in the Askar refugee camp in the city of Nablus and belonged to the Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades, Fatah's military wing. When she died a Martyr she was determined to do a deed only a few knew about in the Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades. When she arrived at the bus stop in the French Hill settlement neighborhood in East Jerusalem, an [Israeli] Border Police soldier approached her to inspect her bag and she immediately blew herself up. She wore a hijab (religious headscarf) and when she blew herself up, the hijab didn't leave her head. She killed two soldiers and wounded 17, three of them seriously."

Text in photo: 

"And  never think of those who have been killed in the cause of Allah as dead. Rather, they are alive with their Lord, receiving provision." (Quran, Sura 3:169, translation Sahih International)

By the Palestinian National Movement, Fatah - the Mobilization and Organization Commission

The eighth anniversary of the Martyrdom death of the heroic female Martyrdom-seeker Zainab Abu Salem"

[Facebook, "Fatah - The Main Page,"
accessed Oct. 8, 2013, posted Sept. 22, 2013]

Note: Zainab Abu Salem - carried out a suicide attack at the French Hill junction in Jerusalem (Sept. 22, 2004). Two Israeli Border Policemen were killed and approximately 30 people were wounded.

Fatah glorification of terrorist Wafa Idris:

Text: "Palestine's illustrious women"

Text in photo: 

"The first female Martyrdom-seeker in the Al-Aqsa Intifada (PA terror campaign 2000-2005). 

Female Martyr (Shahida) Wafa Idris. 

Jan. 28, 2002"

[Facebook, "Fatah - The Main Page,"
accessed Oct. 8, 2013, posted Sept. 18, 2013]

Note: Wafa Idris, was the first Palestinian female suicide bomber. She killed one and injured over 100 in her attack in central Jerusalem in 2002. As a volunteer for the Palestinian Red Crescent, she was able to bypass Israeli security and enter Jerusalem in a Palestinian ambulance.

Note: The Facebook page where this item was posted, called "Fatah - The Main Page," is an official Fatah Facebook page. The page defines itself as belonging to the Fatah Mobilization and Organization Commission. Each Fatah commission has an official website. The official website of Fatah's Mobilization and Organization Commission links to this Facebook page.

Arab countries call for boycott of Israel-based film

Arab countries recently called for the boycott of the film "The Attack" because it was filmed in Israel. The movie, which was directed by a Lebanese citizen, features Israeli actors and tells the story of an Arab-Israeli surgeon in Tel Aviv who discovers his wife is a suicide bomber. Although the movie originally received a permit by the Lebanese government it was canceled because it violated the 1995 Lebanese Anti-Israel Boycott Law. According to media reports, the Arab League has requested that all its members boycott the film, and this has also led to Qatari and Egyptian investors to pull their support for the film. "We knew when we were writing the script that the film was certainly going to provoke debate, but we didn't write it just to provoke debate. I thought art was the one way we could all communicate. I guess I was naïve. I've somehow committed a breach by showing the Israelis in a sympathetic way," said Ziad Doueiri, the film's director.

Palestinians poll highest among world's Muslims favoring suicide bombings In most of the 21 countries where the question was asked, few Muslims endorse suicide bombing and other forms of violence against civilians • 40% of Palestinian Muslims see suicide bombing as often or sometimes justified, while half take opposite view.

Out of all the Muslim respondents in a global survey, Palestinian Muslims polled highest in favor of suicide bombings as a justifiable means "to defend Islam."

A new Pew Research Center survey of Muslims around the globe finds that most adherents of the world’s second-largest religion are deeply committed to their faith and want its teachings to shape not only their personal lives but also their societies and politics.

In all but a handful of the 39 countries surveyed, a majority of Muslims say that Islam is the one true faith leading to eternal life in heaven and that belief in God is necessary to be a moral person. Many also think that their religious leaders should have at least some influence over political matters. And many express a desire for Shariah -- traditional Islamic law -- to be recognized as the official law of their country.

In most of the 21 countries where the question was asked, few Muslims endorse suicide bombing and other forms of violence against civilian targets as a means of defending Islam against its enemies. But in a few countries, substantial minorities believe suicide bombing can be often justified or sometimes justified.

Muslims in some countries surveyed in South Asia, the Middle East and North Africa are more likely than Muslims elsewhere to consider suicide bombing justified.

Four-in-ten Palestinian Muslims see suicide bombing as often or sometimes justified, while roughly half (49%) take the opposite view.

In Egypt, about three-in-ten (29%) consider suicide bombing justified at least sometimes. Elsewhere in the region, fewer Muslims believe such violence is often or sometimes justified, including fewer than one-in-six in Jordan (15%) and about one-in-ten in Tunisia (12%), Morocco (9%) and Iraq (7%).

In Afghanistan, a substantial minority of Muslims (39%) say that this form of violence against civilian targets is often or sometimes justifiable in defense of Islam. In Bangladesh, more than a quarter of Muslims (26%) take this view. Support for suicide bombing is lower in Pakistan (13%).

At least half of Muslims in most countries surveyed say they are concerned about religious extremist groups in their country, including two-thirds or more of Muslims in Egypt (67%), Tunisia (67%), Iraq  68%, Guinea Bissau (72%) and Indonesia (78%). On balance, more are worried about Islamic extremists than about Christian extremists.

The percentage of Muslims who say they want Shariah to be “the official law of the land” varies widely around the world, from fewer than one-in-ten in Azerbaijan (8%) to near unanimity in Afghanistan (99%). But solid majorities in most of the countries surveyed across the Middle East and North Africa, sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia and Southeast Asia favor the establishment of Shariah, including 71% of Muslims in Nigeria, 72% in Indonesia, 74% in Egypt and 89% in the Palestinian territories.

At the same time, the survey finds that even in many countries where there is strong backing for Shariah, most Muslims favor religious freedom for people of other faiths. In Pakistan, for example, three-quarters of Muslims say that non-Muslims are very free to practice their religion, and fully 96% of those who share this assessment say it is “a good thing.” Yet 84% of Pakistani Muslims favor enshrining Shariah as official law. These seemingly divergent views are possible partly because most supporters of Shariah in Pakistan -- as in many other countries -- think Islamic law should apply only to Muslims. Moreover, Muslims around the globe have differing understandings of what Shariah means in practice.

The survey -- which involved more than 38,000 face-to-face interviews in 80-plus languages with Muslims across Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Africa -- shows that Muslims tend to be most comfortable with using Shariah in the domestic sphere, to settle family or property disputes. In most countries surveyed, there is considerably less support for severe punishments, such as cutting off the hands of thieves or executing people who convert from Islam to another faith. And even in the domestic sphere, Muslims differ widely on such questions as whether polygamy, divorce and family planning are morally acceptable and whether daughters should be able to receive the same inheritance as sons.

In most countries surveyed, majorities of Muslim women as well as men agree that a wife is always obliged to obey her husband.

New from Dearborn, Michigan just in time for Christmas& Chanukah The latest toy to hit the shops: A talking Muslim doll. Nobody knows what it says because no one has the guts to pull the cord

'Palestinian' joy over suicide bombings

Here's Ahlam Tamimi, who planned and helped carry out the suicide bombing attack at Sbarro's restaurant in Jerusalem in 2001 talking about the joy of the 'Palestinians' in the bombing's aftermath.



But 'peace' is at hand....

PMW: Hamas TV Extolls Female Palestinian Suicide Bombers and Jihad Fighters