Following up on yesterday's post, I came across a blog by Deborah Haynes, the Baghdad Correspondent for The Times, where she discusses al-Qaeda's barbaric techniques to recruit women as suicide bombers.
Women are the perfect weapon in a country where it is frowned upon culturally for a man even to approach a woman without her husband or father in tow, let alone frisk her for weapons at one of the many checkpoints that are the bombers' favourite targets. In addition, it is easy to hide a vest packed with explosives under the traditional Islamic robes worn by women in Iraq without drawing suspicion.
In total, there have been 24 attacks involving women suicide bombers since January, including four on Monday in Baghdad and the northern city of Kirkuk that left scores dead. Al-Qaeda is "a very adaptive enemy", a US Special Forces captain based in Diyala said. "They will try to use whatever works best for them to attempt to exploit whatever political or cultural restrictions we have."
The military believes that al-Qaeda employs a variety of tactics to get women to become suicide bombers. Some are easy prey because their husband or children have been killed or detained by US forces, said Captain Matthew Shown, the intelligence officer for "Sabre Squadron", 2nd Squadron, 3rd Armoured Cavalry Regiment, which is based in southeast Diyala.
Another method is for a member of al-Qaeda to marry a woman and then dishonour her in some way, such as letting someone else rape her. "This would leave her with no choice but to end her life," Captain Shown, 34, said.
There are also reports of women being told that their husband or child will be killed unless they agree to become suicide bombers.
Full blog here.
1 Comment
Ke-tu-rah V L Mohammed | July 31, 2008, 7:04am | #
Greetings of Peace,
My name is Ke-tu-rah Vuyiswa Lindi Mohammed [nee Dhlamini] I am an Indigenous South African, who grew up in exile. My family was wiped out by the Apartheid regime.My parents were both graduates from the famous Fort University of Fort Hare , my father held a Distinction in Latin, and my mother a distinction in English. my father was assasinated for his activism in the struggle against Apartheid. and my mother 's case falls under the disappearence cases .Truth and Reconciliation [TRC] 's unfinished business.I was exiled in the African Frontline States to name a few Bottswana, Zambia. Angola and Tanzania, I was also exiled in Russia, Cuba and the Chech Republic for military and political training, and then went to the U.K. this is where I was educated, eventually embraced Islam coming from a very Strong Baptist background. I had graduated as an evangelist in the Baptist Church, I was a musician, pianist, guitarist , and The first Black Baptist Secretary for the youth convention. I also met my husband in England , and African American, Journalist who had reverted to Islam 5 years prior to our meeting, he also came from a very strong Baptist background his father, like my father was a pastor of a Baptist Church in Atlanta. My husband died in IRAQ, as he was a Journalist. at the time of his death he was freelancing.he left me behind with three set of twins, Boys 14, Girls 10 , and a boy and a girl aged 7. when I relocated back home my entire family was wiped out by the Apartheid regime, and the only place that could assist me was my spiritual home, the muslims, so when I visited the so called welfare offices, I found that my colour of the skin is the main obstacle to access help, and all what I need was to be helped in order to establish a project that was going to enable me to put food on the table for my children and see them go to school.
I experienced the worst racism I have ever known in this world worse than Apartheid. I confronted some of these injustice, then I was labeled a bad muslim women. Islamic Affair, in South Africa are in the hands of our indian muslim brothers and sisters. who run Islam on colour, and to them its about ownership, control, and power.
As a result , I sleep in the street or bathrooms in shopping malls with my children, all because. I am women who is independent as far as reasoning is concerned and no one cares for the problems I mean. I need your support.
My contacts numbers are 0027-72-995-6883
or 0027-71-575-8069