The assassination of former Premier of Pakistan Benazir Bhutto today in a suicide attack has some similiarities with that of our former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi by a suicide bomber. Both assassinations took place during their election campaigns. In both attacks several people were killed. India survived such dastardly killings mainly because the democratic mechanism in the country has been strong enough to set in motion a collective process to stabilise dangerous situations. In the case of Pakistan, it remains to be seen if it can survive the turmoil in the aftermath of the assassination of Ms. Bhutto. I hope that all democratic minded people in Muslim communities across the world should stick their necks out in condemning the nihilistic death cult growing rapidly out of jihadi ideology that has gained acceptance among some segments of Muslims. It may be too early to jump into conclusions about the killing of Ms. Bhutto. But the primary suspect is al Qaeda. Her closeness to the U.S. may be the motive behind the attack.
I am yet to understand the working of the inner psychology of a person who decides to be a suicide killer. It is true, the LTTE used suicide bombers in its terror mission. Palestinian fighters also sent suicide bombers to kill Israeliss. Though both the LTTE and the Palestinian fighters have justified these acts as part of their political struggle, the sucide attacks have only strengthened the resolve of those they are fighting against. Jihadi-based suicide cult is different in the sense that it does not espouse an articulated political cause led by a leadership that their `enemies' can talk to for negotiating a cease fire and find a solution.
Tawfik Hamid, an Egyptian doctor and former member of a jihadi outfit started by Ayman al-Zawahiri, lieutenant of Osama bin Laden, shows certain methods used by terrorist outfits to indoctrinate a new member. A newly initiated convert is first asked to stop critical thinking (al-fiqr kufr) and is filled with fear of hell fire, he says adding that Jihadi bodies then invokes the imagery of an eternal paradise where beautiful women are waiting for you to make love with for eternal sexual pleasure. This is especially attractive for sex-deprived youth, he tells us. Narrating from first hand experience, Tawfik Hamid sheds some light on the psychology of suicide killers.
1 comment:
As non violent people gape at suicide bombers I too have been asking my self questions regarding the psychology of suicide bombers. The idea you suggested might be just the tip of the mystery, You may also point to the fact that we are talking of an area which is well known for its drug culture.
Some time back I had sat back in amazement over a documentary on BBC which followed the drug route from Afghanistan to India via Pakistan. It was titled The Golden triangle, though I felt at the time that putting such attractive names for heinous activities sent curiosity waves among young and vulnerable minds. It seems if you take cocaine just twice, you are addicted to it.
In this mental state, it is possible that any indoctrination is possible.
Our societies should probably not be so hypocritical regarding sexual matters. Asian countries as a whole is witnessing female foeticide, and compounded with the fact that, the dwidling sex ratio could itself become a generating fator for terror related activities.
For more on Benazir Bhutto, do look up my blog.
http://chandinisantosh.blogspot.com
Post a Comment