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Islamic terror organizations recruiting more women and minors
Sep. 20th, 2004- The Jerusalem Post. By MARGOT DUDKEVITCH Last week's arrest of two female suicide bombers from Assira A-Shamaliya, near Nablus, was an unusual event as families of the Jawabra clan turned in their daughters Lina and Adilah. Following the killing of a suicide bomb dispatcher of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, the families turned their daughters over to soldiers at an IDF checkpoint, after being warned that their houses would be demolished if the two girls go ahead with plans to blow up in Tel Aviv. Unlike the families of the Jawabra clan, the majority of females recruited to carry out suicide-bomb attacks are arrested in raids and not handed over by their families. According to Shin Bet officials, terrorist organizations continue to perceive that women are less susceptible to checks by security forces and are therefore more likely to enter Israel without raising suspicions. Only in some instances where officials have knowledge of a pending attack and reach the realization that the only way to thwart it is by vesting pressure on family members are such tactics used. Since the outbreak of violence four years ago, 40 female terrorists were recruited to carry out suicide bomb attacks. Of that number, seven actually blew up, and security forces arrested 33. The Fatah were responsible for recruiting 21; the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and the Islamic Jihad recruited six; and one was recruited by the Hamas in Gaza and blew up at the Erez crossing earlier this year. Thirty-four of the women were not married; three were divorced; two were married with children; and one was a widow. Between January and July this year 10 female suicide bombers were recruited by terrorist organizations compared with 14 for the entire year of 2003. Most of the women recruited to the cause are in their mid 20s, and represent a cross section of Palestinian society, ranging from the well educated to the poor and uneducated. Of the 33 arrested since 2000, 16 had completed high school education, and 11 were university students. In order to avoid being noticed the women usually change their external appearance, adopting a more modern way of dressing that blends in with local Israeli fashion. In some instances, they have posed as pregnant women, stuffing a pillow underneath their garments. Another worrying development relates to the increased use of children by the different terrorist organizations in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. These children are dispatched not only with explosive belts or to transfer bombs between operative, but are also used to compile information on troop movements in preparation for attacks - a tactic used often by terrorists in the Gaza Strip. So far this year a total of 109 Palestinian minors were arrested for their involvement in terrorist activities compared to a total of 102 in 2003, 54 in 2002 and 27 in 2001. The youngest children sent by terrorists to launch an attack were two boys arrested in January 2003 by security forces in the Gaza Strip. Both carried knives and said they had been sent to place bombs in the area. One was eight years old and the other was 13. Posted by: Mark Espinola 2004-09-21 |
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