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The Growing Threat of Female Suicide Attacks in Western Countries JULY 2010 . VOL 3 . ISSUE 7 need to approach the Orakzai campaign The Growing Threat of This article provides background on in a more “intelligence informed Muslim female participation in violent manner,” concentrating on breaking the Female Suicide Attacks in extremism, shows how certain clerics Taliban from within. There are chances Western Countries have encouraged female participation for success in this approach, as during in jihad, and finally examines how al- the past two years there have been a By Houriya Ahmed Qa`ida may adapt its strategy to make number of occurrences where Taliban use of this tactic. factions have fought each other over in january 2010, U.S. intelligence disputes in Orakzai. officials warned that al-Qa`ida in Female Participation in Violent Extremism the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)—the Hizb Allah, the Shi`a Islamist group In August 2009, for example, 21 Yemen-based group responsible for based in Lebanon, first introduced militants were killed when two Taliban the attempted Christmas Day airline suicide terrorism in 1983.5 Although it groups clashed for control of the Akakhel bombing in the United States—is was the first religiously motivated party area of upper Orakzai.30 In April 2010, training female suicide bombers to to use this tactic of warfare, secular more clashes were reported, when six attack countries in the West.1 In nationalist groups popularized female Taliban, including a local commander, May 2010, AQAP itself issued a call suicide bombings in 1985 on behalf of were killed in Orakzai during infighting to Muslim women to join the jihad the Syrian Social Nationalist Party.6 between two rival Taliban factions led movement in Yemen.2 U.S. officials Indeed, according to one 2009 study, by Mullah Toofan and Mullah Rafiq.31 reportedly believe that these women 85% of female suicide attacks have been There were also reports of a Taliban may have a “non-Arab” appearance carried out by secular organizations.7 commander who defected to his Ali Khel and have Western passports, making it tribe over the Taliban’s poor treatment easier for them to evade detection while By 2004, however, the Palestinian of Shi`a in Orakzai.32 Although the traveling.3 group Hamas employed a female suicide senior Taliban leadership was able to bomber—Reem al-Rayashi.8 Since that prevent these infighting incidents from There are growing concerns that al- attack, the tactic has been emulated by spreading, it does show that there are Qa`ida will start deploying women a number of militant Islamist groups possible rifts that can be exploited with in its global fight against Western waging jihad, especially in Iraq. Abu a more nuanced understanding of the states and their interests. The group is Mus`ab al-Zarqawi, the deceased leader Taliban factions operating in Orakzai. clearly reaching out to Muslim women of al-Qa`ida in Iraq (AQI), claimed and asking them to participate in its responsibility for the group’s first Tayyab Ali Shah is a freelance political “struggle” against the West. This year, female suicide bomber in September and security analyst specializing in the for example, female suicide bombers 2005.9 By November of that year, AQI Taliban and other Islamic extremists. He have already attacked in Russia, Iraq claimed responsibility for an additional is a Pakistani Pashtun and has a post­ and Afghanistan. Belgium convicted five female suicide attacks, which graduate education in Political Science, one woman of leading a terrorist group, included one Iraqi-born woman, Sajida Business Administration and Public while Muslim convert Colleen LaRose Mubarak al-Rishawi, whose bomb failed Policy. He has extensive experience in is currently facing trial in the United 4 community development, policy advocacy States for wanting to fight violent jihad. 5 Cindy D. Ness, “In the Name of a Cause: Women’s and political education with both Pakistani These signs, combined with the ongoing Work in Secular and Religious Terrorism,” in Cindy D. and Afghan Pashtuns. He moderates the concern of homegrown militants, make Ness ed., Female Terrorism & Militancy: Agency, Utility, Pakhtunkhwa Peace Forum and has written it increasingly likely that the United and Organisation (London: Routledge, 2008), p. 18. for The Jamestown Foundation, Pakistan’s States or Western European countries 6 Lindsey A. O’Rourke, “What’s Special about Female Frontier Post and the Daily Times. will experience their first female suicide Suicide Terrorism?” Security Studies 18:4 (2009). Other bombing in the future. examples of secular militant groups that used female suicide bombers include the Kurdistan Workers’ Party in Turkey, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in Sri Lanka and the Palestinian al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade. 7 Ibid. O’Rourke also states that female suicide bomb- ers have detonated from approximately eight times in the 1 A May 2010 magazine published by AQAP, Sada al­ 1980s to more than 100 since 2000. For details on that Malahim, includes an article by the wife of AQAP’s sec- claim, see p. 696. ond-in-command, Said al-Shihri, calling on women to 8 The militant Islamist group Palestinian Islamic Jihad join the jihad in Yemen. also started using female suicide bombers. Hamas and 2 Ibid. Islamic Jihad are not the first Palestinian groups to have 3 Phil Sherwell and Sean Rayment, “Al-Qaeda Has embraced female terrorism. Fatah’s militant al-Aqsa Trained Female Suicide Bombers to Attack the West, Martyrs Brigade (a nationalist group) was the first to in- US Officials Warn,” Daily Telegraph, January 23, 2010; troduce female suicide bombings against Israeli targets 30 “Hakeemullah’s Followers in Orakzai Clash; 21 Anthony Browne, “Western White Woman a Suicide with Wafa Idris in January 2002. For more information Killed,” Dawn, August 12, 2009. Bomber,” The Times, December 1, 2005. see O’Rourke, pp. 697-698. 31 “Taliban Infighting Claims Six Lives in Orakzai,” 4 “Belgium Convicts Terror Suspects,” BBC, May 10, 9 Little is known about AQI’s first female suicide bomb- Daily Times, April 2, 2010. 2010; “Muslim Convert Colleen LaRose, aka Jihad Jane, er. See Christopher Dickey, “Women of Al Qaeda,” News­ 32 Taj. Faces Terror Charges,” Guardian, March 10, 2010. week, December 12, 2005. 14 JULY 2010 . VOL 3 . ISSUE 7 to detonate when she executed a cross- In the United Kingdom, where a AQI.21 Reports suggest that Degauque border attack in Amman, Jordan.10 total of five women were convicted was one of many female Muslim converts Since then, Iraq has seen a number of for Islamism-related offenses, three in Europe to have been targeted for female suicide bombers, as recently as acted as protectors for their respective recruitment to carry out suicide attacks July 2010.11 fiancé, husband or brother-in-law in in Iraq and Pakistan.22 In January 2010, the July 21, 2005 failed suicide attacks the Sunday Times reported that a British- Afghanistan and Pakistan have also in London, of which one described her Somali female medical student traveled witnessed female suicide bombers.12 husband as a “martyr.”18 Of the other to Somalia to help the al-Qa`ida-linked Afghanistan nearly saw its first in two, one was convicted of distributing al-Shabab group.23 December 2007: the woman, who a terrorist publication that encouraged claimed she was from Pakistan, was The motivations for females to arrested before attempting the suicide “The fact that Ayman participate in violent jihad are not attack.13 By May 2008, however, the categorically known, but some suggest Afghan Taliban reportedly claimed al-Zawahiri’s wife that women fight out of a sense of responsibility for a successful female issued a call to women revenge—particularly Chechen “Black suicide attack.14 Pakistan also saw its Widows”—and to protect their male first female suicide attack in December to participate in jihad counterparts or country.24 For example, 2007, and in January 2010 two teenage and ‘martyr’ themselves Hawa Barayev, the first Chechen female girls claimed that they decided to suicide bomber, committed the act become suicide bombers after hearing suggests that al-Qa`ida in 2000 to not only aid Chechnya’s speeches from a leader of the Pakistani may change tactics and independence but to set an example Taliban, Maulana Fazlullah, but later for men to follow.25 Comparatively, changed their minds.15 Security officials follow in the footsteps of some Palestinian suicide bombers in Pakistan are concerned that the groups such as Hamas are thought to have fought to regain a Pakistani Taliban may have recruited sense of honor, as seen in the case of “hundreds” of female students from or its own Iraqi affiliate, Reem al-Rayashi.26 Yet examples such Islamabad’s Red Mosque (Lal Masjid), a AQI.” as Colleen LaRose, who as “JihadJane” hotbed of Pakistani radicalism.16 cited religious reasons to fight jihad, can lead to the conclusion that women, The United States and Western Europe just like men, can participate in jihad have yet to suffer a female suicide attack. others to conduct jihad abroad; the for ideological reasons. Women have, however, remained on the other, Houria Chentouf, was convicted peripheries of major terrorism plots or for attempting to smuggle a USB stick acted as propagandists for al-Qa`ida’s into the United Kingdom containing global narrative. In Belgium, Malika files that may have been useful for el-Aroud was convicted and sentenced terrorists.19 Chentouf was discovered in May 2010 to eight years in prison for with hand-written notes that indicated “leading a terrorist group linked with she was considering making herself and 21 Karla Cunningham, “The Evolving Participation of al-Qaeda,” which recruited people in her children “bombs for the sake of this Muslim Women in Palestine, Chechnya, and the Global 20 France and Belgium and sent them to religion” for they seek “revenge.” Jihadi Movement,” in Ness, p.
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