Practical Guide to Understanding and Preventing Suicide Operations in Africa
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INSTITUTE FOR SECURITY STUDIES GUIDE Suicide attacks are a brutally effective terror tactic, irrespective of when, where or how they PRACTICAL GUIDE TO UNDERSTANDING AND are executed. In Africa, the US Embassy attacks in Nairobi and Dar es-Salaam in 1998 were the first, before AQLIM, al-Shabaab and Boko Haram became household names in Practical guide to counter-terrorism circles. This guide hopes to shed light on the application of this tactic in Africa. From those behind the attacks to those more frequently targeted, or the most used delivery method, this publication was written with practitioners and policy makers in mind. By understanding and preventing understanding the application of suicide attacks in the past, and identifying how and where people are being recruited, the aim of this guide is to assist practitioners and policy makers suicide operations in Africa to initiate pro-active strategies in preventing future attacks. Les attentats suicide représentent une tactique de terreur d’une brutalité et efficacité extraordinaires, quel que soit le moment, le lieu ou la méthode de perpétration. En Afrique, les attaques de l’Ambassade des Etats Unis à Nairobi et Dar-es-Salaam en 1998 en ont fondé les prémisses avant que des noms comme AQMI, al-Shabaab et Boko Haram ne deviennent des marques de notoriété dans les cercles de lutte contre le terrorisme. Cette publication vise à faire la lumière sur l’application de cette tactique en Afrique. Elle a été rédigée pour un auditoire d’experts et de responsables politiques, abordant autant les individus à la base des attentats que les personnes les plus souvent ciblées ou la méthode la plus utilisée pour P les perpétrer. L’objet de cette publication est d’aider les experts et responsables politiques à REVENTING SUICIDE O lancer des stratégies proactives en vue d’empêcher des attentats futurs, en apportant une meilleure compréhension sur la perpétration des attentats suicide du passé et en identifiant la manière et les lieux de recrutement des terroristes. P ERATIONS IN This publication was made possible through funding provided by the governments of Norway and the Netherlands. A FRICA ISS Guide Anneli Botha Practical guide to understanding and preventing suicide operations in Africa ISS Guide Anneli Botha The Institute for Security Studies (ISS) is a leading African policy research and training organisation. The vision of the ISS is a peaceful and prosperous Africa for all its people. The mission and overall goal of the ISS is to advance human security in Africa through evidence-based policy advice, technical support and capacity building. © 2013, Institute for Security Studies Copyright in the volume as a whole is vested in the Institute for Security Studies, and no part may be reproduced in whole or in part without the express permission, in writing, of both the authors and the publishers. The opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the Institute, its trustees, members of the Council or donors. Authors contribute to ISS publications in their personal capacity. ISBN 978-1-920422-79-0 First published by the Institute for Security Studies PO Box 1787, Brooklyn Square 0075 Pretoria, South Africa www.issafrica.org Cover photograph The Biggerpicture/Getty Images Design, typesetting and printing COMPRESS.dsl | www.compressdsl.com Contents Chapter 1 Introduction to the guide � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 1 Nature of the problem � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 1 Concept of ‘suicide operations’ � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 2 Overview of the guide � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 2 Chapter 2 Common misperceptions and features of suicide attacks � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 5 Introduction � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 5 Common misperceptions regarding suicide attacks � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 5 Common features of suicide attacks � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 8 Conclusion � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 21 Chapter 3 History of ad hoc suicide attacks in Africa: 1998–2010 � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 23 Introduction � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 23 Kenya and Tanzania, August 1998 � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 24 Tunisia, April 2002 � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 31 Kenya, November 2002 � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 33 Morocco, May 2003 � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 37 Egypt, 2004–2006 � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 40 Somalia, 2006 � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 52 Morocco, 2007 � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 53 Egypt, 2010 � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 54 Conclusion � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 57 Guide i Practical guide to understanding and preventing suicide operations in Africa Chapter 4 Suicide operations as part of a broader campaign � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 59 Introduction � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 59 Al-Qa’eda in the Land of the Islamic Maghreb � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 60 Somalia � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 76 Other discernible trends between AQLim and Al-Shabaab � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 88 Nigeria � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 90 Conclusion � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 98 Chapter 5 Preventing future suicide attacks � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 101 Phases of a suicide operation � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 101 Understanding and preventing recruitment � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 106 Chapter 6 Conclusion � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 127 Annexure 1 � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 132 Endnotes � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 142 References � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 159 ii Institute for Security Studies 1 Introduction to the guide NATURE OF THE PROBLEM On 4 November 2011, suspected members of Nigerian group Boko Haram carried out two suicide attacks against a military base in Maiduguri and an anti-terrorism court in Damaturu, killing at least 53 people.1 These two suicide attacks formed part of ongoing coordinated attacks by Boko Haram targeting governmental insti- tutions and churches that by November 2011 had already resulted in the death of at least 136 victims. They have also brought the number of suicide attacks in Nigeria to five, and in 2011 made Nigeria the 11th country on the continent to experience the devastating consequences of suicide operations. Such attacks highlight the urgency for policy makers, criminal investigators, and analysts actively engaged with this growing and serious phenomenon of suicide operations on the African continent