Female Suicide Bombers: Terrorist Weapon of Choice, Review of Historical Bombers, Characteristics, Changes in Application by Terrorist Organizations, Hamas, Tamil Tigers, Chechen Rebels, Al Aqsa

This important report has been professionally converted for accurate flowing-text e-book format reproduction. Suicide bombers are today's weapon of choice. Terrorists are using suicide bombers because they are a low cost, low technology, and low risk weapon. Suicide bombers are readily available, require little training, leave no trace behind, and strike fear into the general population. The success of suicide bombers depends upon an element of surprise, as well as accessibility to targeted areas or populations. Both of these required elements have been enjoyed by women suicide bombers. Female suicide bombers were used in the past; however, the recent spate of them in different venues, in different countries, and for different terrorist organizations forces us to study this terrorist method. This research paper reviews historical female suicide bombers, focuses on female suicide bomber characteristics, analyzes recent changes in application by various terrorist organizations, and provides implications of change within a strategic assessment of future female suicide bombings.
An action that was once so surprising, horrific, and terrifying has now become the daily fare of the nightly news. "From Jerusalem to Jakarta and from Bali to Baghdad, the suicide bomber is clearly the weapon of choice for international terrorists."1 The raw number of suicide attacks is climbing; suicide bombs are now used by 17 terror organizations in 14 countries. "In terms of casualties, suicide attacks are the most efficient form of terrorism. From 1980 to 2001, suicide attacks accounted for 3 percent of terrorist incidents but caused half of the total deaths due to terrorism—even if one excludes the unusually large number of fatalities of 9/11." Into this boiling cauldron of terror, a new element has been added—women as suicide bombers. The success of suicide bombers considerably depends upon surprise and accessibility to targets. Both of these requirements have been met by using women. The recent spate of female suicide bombers in different venues, different countries, and different terrorist organizations warrants careful study of this strategic weapon.
Prior to September 11, 2001, the use of suicide bombers was not seen by the U.S. public as a major threat; however, this weapon now evokes a visceral response. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Alert 03-025 provided warnings of male and female suicide bombers, and New York City was on heightened alert in December 2003 over fears of an attack by a female suicide bomber. Jessica Stern, a terrorism expert, recently criticized DHS procedures and warned of the dangers of ignoring female terrorists: "The official profile of a typical terrorist—developed by the DHS to scrutinize visa applicants and resident aliens—applies only to men. Under a program put in place after September 11, 2001, males aged between 16-45 are subject to special scrutiny; women are not." Terrorists seek out vulnerabilities in the enemy government's countermeasures, so lack of scrutiny of women entering the United States could encourage Al Qaeda to use them.