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A Palestinian boy handing out sweets to celebrate the suicide attack on Dimona, earlier this month in Gaza. (Reuters)
Last update - 05:54 24/02/2008
Study: Palestinian suicide bombers 'not mentally unstable'
By Rhonda Spivak
Tags: terrorism, Palestinians 

TORONTO - In an extensive study of Palestinian suicide bombings, three University of Toronto researchers have concluded that the bombers were not psychologically unstable and were often motivated by personal vengeance, not religious zeal.

The study was carried out by political sociologist Robert Brym, with the assistance of two Ph.d students, Palestinian Bader Araj and Israeli Yael Maoz-Shai.

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Writing in the academic journal Social Forces, Brym noted, "The organizers of suicide attacks don't want to jeopardize their missions by recruiting unreliable people. It may be that some psychologically unstable people want to become suicide bombers, but insurgent organizations strongly prefer their cannons fixed."

He also found that the suicide bombers did not experience extraordinary high levels of economic deprivation.

Furthermore, in his study published in Contexts, Brym concluded that a majority of bombers, like Palestinian female lawyer, Hanadi Tayseer Jaradat, 29, who killed 21 civilians in a 2003 bombing at Maxim restaurant in Haifa, were "motivated by the desire for revenge and retaliation."

Jaradat acted to avenge the killings of her brother, an Islamic Jihad militant, and cousin by Israeli security forces.

Brym concluded, "In its origins and at its core, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is not religiously inspired, and suicide bombing, despite its frequent religious trappings, is fundamentally the expression of a territorial dispute." Brym and Araj identified the organizational affiliation of 133 out of 138 suicide bombers between September 2000 and July 2005. Sixty-four per cent were affiliated with Islamic fundamentalists groups such as Hamas and Islamic Jihad, while the rest were aligned with secular groups such as Fatah.

In analyzing data pertaining to Israeli counterterrorist operations, Brym said "we do know that of the nearly 600 suicide missions launched in Israel and its occupied territories between 2000 and 2005, fewer than 25 percent succeeded in reaching their target. Israeli counterterrorist efforts thwarted three-quarters of them using violent means."

However, his study found that harsh repression can intensify bombings and prompt bombers to devise more lethal methods to achieve their aims.

"In general, severe repression can work for a while, but a sufficiently determined mass opposition will always be able to design new tactics to surmount new obstacles. One kind of 'success,' usually breeds another kind of 'failure' if the motivation of insurgents is high." In an interview, Brym said: "I'm no fan of Hamas, but I believe that Israel and Hamas at some point have to sit and negotiate."

In a paper to be published in Studies in Conflict on Terrorism this year, Araj concludes that harsh state repression "should not be perceived only as a reaction to suicide bombing" but "often precedes and is a major cause of suicide bombing."

Related articles:
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  • ANALYSIS: Terror attack was matter of time after Gaza border breach
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      1.   BRYM IS RIGHT 04:53  |  J. Schaefer 24/02/08
      2.   Bob Brym... 05:49  |  Ben Aderet 24/02/08
      3.   J. Schaefer 05:50  |  Gina 24/02/08
      4.   Jihad is not mentally unstable, they are mentally Deranged 06:08  |  Magnify 24/02/08
      5.   Stupid theory... it can go both ways 06:28  |  Moises 24/02/08
      6.   Glaring omission 06:49  |  Moshe 24/02/08
      7.   This is a scientific study 06:49  |  Ivan Kalmar 24/02/08
      8.   Suicide bombers 06:49  |  Martin Rudner 24/02/08
      9.   "the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is not religiously inspired" ?? 07:01  |  redmike 24/02/08
      10.   1 - didn`t you read about attacks in Sinai and other places? 07:14  |  redmike 24/02/08
      11.   I think this should not be overblown 07:22  |  B. 24/02/08
      12.   The motivation of suicide bombers 07:33  |  Natallie Durson 24/02/08
      13.   Not crazy religious freaks ... oops 08:19  |  spyguy 24/02/08
      14.   Don`t blame the Palestinians 08:22  |  Londoner 24/02/08
      15.   Most Muslim Suicide Bombers Kill Other Muslims 08:34  |  Ben Israel 24/02/08
      16.   Interesting research method - ouija board 08:36  |  Ilan 24/02/08
      17.   TO GINA #3 08:45  |  J. Schaefer 24/02/08
      18.   The roots of the suicide attacks. 08:51  |  Jean Van Daem 24/02/08
      19.   The larger image 08:55  |  Michael Jacobs 24/02/08
      20.   And I don`t blame you Londoner.Living under Islamic boot 09:09  |  survival mode 24/02/08
      21.   J. Schaefer 09:12  |  Gina 24/02/08
      22.   Territorial dispute does not mean it has a solution 09:15  |  Gili 24/02/08
      23.   these idiots would be better employed as bakers 09:22  |  v hardman 24/02/08
      24.   # 12 - Natalie 09:25  |  Michael 24/02/08
      25.   Londerer - Those who embrace evil, commit evil 09:36  |  Gina 24/02/08
      26.   Gina 09:37  |  J. Schaefer 24/02/08
      27.   of course they are not "mentally unstable" 09:38  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 24/02/08
      28.   What about analysing the organisers Prof Brym? 09:44  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 24/02/08
      29.   Londoner 09:47  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 24/02/08
      30.   J. Schaefer 09:50  |  x-ray 24/02/08
      31.   J. Schaefer -- thanks for proving my point!! 10:03  |  Gina 24/02/08
      32.   Cipora Julianna Kohn 10:09  |  Gina 24/02/08
      33.   `not mentally unstable` 10:26  |  Ralph 24/02/08
      34.   Missing the main point ! 10:28  |  Edmond Danijean 24/02/08
      35.   Sounds like the whole study + conclusion is politically motivated 10:29  |  McQueen 24/02/08
      36.   " not religiously inspired" (?) 10:40  |  KUTW 24/02/08
      37.   " fewer than 25 percent succeeded" 10:46  |  KUTW 24/02/08
      38.   "harsh repression can intensify bombings" 10:59  |  KUTW 24/02/08
      39.   KUTW -- Hello Kim # 37 10:59  |  Gina 24/02/08
      40.   #32, Gina 11:05  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 24/02/08
      41.   Simple conclusion: "It`s the occupation stupid" 11:07  |  Hypocrisy Monitor 24/02/08
      42.   They are not mentally unstable... 11:08  |  Silvienne 24/02/08
      43.   #27, Cipora... 11:11  |  Silvienne 24/02/08
      44.   to all misguided posters KAMA KAZI 11:30  |  v hardman 24/02/08
      45.   Look at Kosovo! Islam is a political ideology as much as 11:38  |  a religion! 24/02/08
      46.   #27 Cipora, Re Vengeance is part of the culture & religion 11:43  |  Dutch 24/02/08
      47.   Silvienne 11:48  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 24/02/08
      48.   Silvienne 11:51  |  Gina 24/02/08
      49.   Cipora Julianna Kohn 11:53  |  Gina 24/02/08
      50.   every idiot knows this... 11:54  |  ravi 24/02/08
      51.   Religious instruction 11:55  |  Gina 24/02/08
      52.   39. Gina 12:04  |  KUTW 24/02/08
      53.   #43 Silvienne: you forgot something 12:07  |  AliciaYasmeen 24/02/08
      54.   42. Silvienne, justifying terrorism 12:09  |  KUTW 24/02/08
      55.   41. Hypocrisy Monitor: Simple conclusion 12:13  |  KUTW 24/02/08
      56.   KUTW 12:23  |  Gina 24/02/08
      57.   Suicide bombers are crazy 12:31  |  American Gentile 24/02/08
      58.   To Gina 12:33  |  pal 24/02/08
      59.   pal 12:53  |  Gina 24/02/08
      60.   pal - False Arab claim 13:00  |  Michael Jacobs 24/02/08
      61.   # 12 Natallie, Spot on, ma·am. 13:01  |  Stephen. 24/02/08
      62.   truth vs propaganda 13:17  |  Bob 24/02/08
      63.   Aha! 13:39  |  John 24/02/08
      64.   Gina :one more chance to tell the truth 13:50  |  pal 24/02/08
      65.   Suicide bombing is just another military tactic 14:05  |  Sam 24/02/08
      66.   Someone needs to examine the researchers! 14:13  |  Ehud 24/02/08
      67.   Every day Israeli cruelty and murder creates more suicide bombers 14:32  |  Clickfool 24/02/08
      68.   # 50 lol na, the world is hip to pal terror 15:22  |  petra 24/02/08
      69.   Jean Van Daem 15:23  |  sam 24/02/08
      70.   Bob in Munich, Germany 15:24  |  NMSFD 24/02/08
      71.   56. Gina 15:40  |  KUTW 24/02/08
      72.   Van Daem- Assassin of truth 15:41  |  phil 24/02/08
      73.   pal - A dangerous thought 15:43  |  Michael Jacobs 24/02/08
      74.   Society, Culture, Religious Indoctrination UNSTABLE 16:42  |  B 24/02/08
      75.   #1 - I don`t think easier communication is at all why Arabs 16:45  |  Diane Mason 24/02/08
      76.   pal #58 your post was all bullshit,if it were true you and 16:48  |  terrornator 24/02/08
      77.   Jews invented suicide for a cause 16:56  |  Matthew Kretzmer 24/02/08
      78.   Thesis seems correct, with an important element missing 17:02  |  Tosefta 24/02/08
      79.   Silvienne Difference 17:11  |  Stranger 24/02/08
      80.   Masada 17:43  |  Sam 24/02/08
      81.   # 64 pal ...actually the west believes 17:44  |  Lynn 24/02/08
      82.   Terrornator 17:52  |  pal 24/02/08
      83.   # 62 Bob of Munich 17:53  |  Lynn 24/02/08
      84.   no to a paeststinan terrorist issalmo facist state 17:57  |  Zody 24/02/08
      85.   Islam=terrorist 18:01  |  zody 24/02/08
      86.   Matthew#77 - Masada was not a moral issue 18:02  |  William 24/02/08
      87.   To 42 Silvienne & 77 Matthew. Care of children 18:03  |  Altalena 24/02/08
      88.   Prof. Brym 18:07  |  Serge 24/02/08
      89.   #17 J. Schaefer - the same language or tribal roots? 18:16  |  William 24/02/08
      90.   Not mentally unstable? Then why kill children? 18:23  |  William 24/02/08
      91.   To Lynn# 81 ok big guy 18:33  |  pal 24/02/08
      92.   BRAVO TO THEM 18:55  |  indrajaya 24/02/08
      93.   You must be a retard to believe in 72 virgins for killing a child 18:57  |  get real 24/02/08
      94.   pal and numbers.Nearly 50% of Europeans contradict your claim 19:18  |  get real 24/02/08
      95.   # 83 Lynn 19:19  |  Bob 24/02/08
      96.   Wonder how many suicide bombers they 19:28  |  Lynn 24/02/08
      97.   64% from fundamentalist Muslim groups? 19:30  |  Lynn 24/02/08
      98.   to pal,no worry,israel and america will be here when you 19:30  |  terrornator 24/02/08
      99.   indrajaya the clown or suicide bomber wannabe? 19:36  |  LOL 24/02/08
      100.   to pal,,,look at the picture at the top of this thread 19:42  |  terrornator 24/02/08
      101.   # 91 pal....things change, 2003 was a long time ago 19:43  |  Lynn 24/02/08
      102.   instability induced, not inherent 20:10  |  mehmet 24/02/08
      103.   This is about right. 20:36  |  Danite 24/02/08
      104.   mehmet 21:09  |  get real 24/02/08
      105.   LONG LIVE FREE & INDPENDENT KURDISTAN CARVED OUT OF TURKEY, IRAN 21:17  |  Genuine Tosefta 24/02/08
      106.   The Stale Disproportionality Argument 21:18  |  marne49 24/02/08
      107.   # 103 Danite 21:20  |  tbora 24/02/08
      108.   Strange 21:35  |  Richard 24/02/08
      109.   `moitvated by a desire for revenge and retaliation` 21:37  |  Colin Wright 24/02/08
      110.   #102 Mehmet in Istanbul 21:40  |  AliciaYasmeen 24/02/08
      111.   pal -- More Muslims murdered by Islamic terrorists 21:44  |  Gina 24/02/08
      112.   Matthew Kretzmer 21:50  |  Gina 24/02/08
      113.   Sam in Canada 21:53  |  Gina 24/02/08
      114.   pal 21:59  |  Gina 24/02/08
      115.   IDF Pine Pointing a Needle in a Hay Stack 22:25  |  Gil 24/02/08
      116.   Toronto is crazy! 22:49  |  Paul 24/02/08
      117.   FAKE PAKISTAN w. STOLEN LANDS FROM PASHTUN,TAJIK,BALUCHI, INDIANS 22:57  |  Genuine Tosefta 24/02/08
      118.   Suicide bombers are not martyrs 22:58  |  El-Birawi 24/02/08
      119.   #77 Kretzmer If you don`t see the difference.. 23:20  |  David 24/02/08
      120.   40 Muslim civilians murdered by Islamists in Iraq today 23:47  |  Gina 24/02/08
      121.   hey lynn #96 when you talked about interviewing the suicide 00:26  |  terrornator 25/02/08
      122.   The murder of Ahmad Massoud by sucide bomber says it all. 00:50  |  PETER SM 25/02/08
      123.   LONDONER Who is occupying"Londonistan?Why Muslim Suicide bombers? 01:12  |  PETER SM 25/02/08
      124.   El-Birawi -- That was a good post 01:15  |  Gina 25/02/08
      125.   terrornator 01:20  |  Gina 25/02/08
      126.   PETER SM - Not to mention Benazir Bhutto 01:24  |  Gina 25/02/08
      127.   Bravo El-Birawi, well spoken! 01:41  |  fiona 25/02/08
      128.   MOHAMUD ATTA WAS LOADED 01:49  |  SEARCH YOUR HEART 25/02/08
      129.   Prof. Brym did not read al-Banna 01:49  |  fiona 25/02/08
      130.   Daniel Perls throat cutter,Sheikh,was raised in privelege& wealth 02:19  |  PETER SM 25/02/08
      131.   YOU ARE THE MENTALLY UNSTABLE! 02:31  |  Neil Golan 25/02/08
      132.   CHAPTER 17, VERSES 104 TO 106 OF "THE HOLY KORAN 02:41  |  NEIL GOLAN 25/02/08
      133.   Koran: Surah 17. Isra`, The Night Journey, Children Of Israel 02:46  |  NEIL GOLAN 25/02/08
      134.   #122, Peter SM, you make a very good point... 03:00  |  Silvienne 25/02/08
      135.   #87, Altalena... 03:05  |  Silvienne 25/02/08
      136.   SUICIDE BOMBERS NOT MENTALLY UNSTABLE; THE RESEARCHERS ARE 03:07  |  Jorge 25/02/08
      137.   #67, Clickfool....Israeli cruelty... 03:07  |  Silvienne 25/02/08
      138.   #79, Stranger... 03:09  |  Silvienne 25/02/08
      139.   It`s islam, stupid! 03:09  |  Henry 25/02/08
      140.   #43, AliciaYasmeen... 03:12  |  Silvienne 25/02/08
      141.   Palestinian suicide bombers are normal Palestinians 03:13  |  Murray of Montreal 25/02/08
      142.   #47, Margie... 03:16  |  Silvienne 25/02/08
      143.   #48, Gina... 03:17  |  Silvienne 25/02/08
      144.   #41, well said, Hypocrisy Monitor... 03:19  |  Silvienne 25/02/08
      145.   Silvienne -- It is morally depraved to mass murder civilians 03:29  |  Gina 25/02/08
      146.   Silvienne # 142 03:31  |  Gina 25/02/08
      147.   Silvienne, stop and reflect 03:42  |  fiona 25/02/08
      148.   Mental Stability 03:43  |  Steven Grumman 25/02/08
      149.   Simpler conclusion: "It`s Islamic Jihad" that retards them 03:47  |  Hypocrisy Mon. Watch 25/02/08
      150.   Mehmet#102 - many groups have been in that position 04:28  |  William 25/02/08
      151.   Diane Mason #75 - very disengenous 04:40  |  Moises 25/02/08
      152.   Silvienne, Mehmet, Clickfool - Oppression of Palestinians 04:45  |  William 25/02/08
      153.   Silvienne and Hebron article 04:52  |  Moises 25/02/08
      154.   Palestinians 05:34  |  American Gentile 25/02/08
      155.   Steven Grumman 06:01  |  Gina 25/02/08
      156.   tbora 06:37  |  Danite 25/02/08
      157.   #105. Genuine Tosetfa. 07:04  |  Maureen Ann 25/02/08
      158.   TODAT.Suicide bomber kills 40 in Iraq:REUTERS.What"people"do this 08:34  |  PETER SM 25/02/08
      159.   Israel`s get tough measures backfires... 08:49  |  Dutch 25/02/08
      160.   #140 Silvienne over the Moon by IDF´s transgressions 11:21  |  AliciaYasmeen 25/02/08
      161.   facts have been generally known for some time... 14:01  |  eric 25/02/08
      162.   LONG LIVE FREE&INDEPENDENT ABORIGINISTINE CARVED OUT OF ALL AUSTR 17:48  |  Genuine Tosefta 25/02/08
      163.   How many Aborigine suicide bombers are out there in Australia? 17:52  |  Genuine Tosefta 25/02/08
      164.   #160, AliciaYasmeen... 14:22  |  Silvienne 26/02/08
      165.   #152, William... 14:26  |  Silvienne 26/02/08
      166.   #153, Moises... 14:31  |  Silvienne 26/02/08
      167.   #145, Gina... 14:37  |  Silvienne 26/02/08
      168.   #146, Gina... 14:39  |  Silvienne 26/02/08
      169.   #147, fiona... 14:46  |  Silvienne 26/02/08
      170.   #145, Gina... 14:47  |  Silvienne 26/02/08
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