Suicide bombing is an act whereby an individual personally delivers
explosives and detonates them with the sole aim of inflicting the
greatest possible damage, killing himself in the process in order to
serve the interests of the sponsoring individuals or organisations.
Records
have revealed that suicide bombers are capable of carrying out very
wicked, audacious and highly destructive acts that are shocking on the
account of their specific intention to destroy critical infrastructure
and kill mostly unsuspecting civilians or injure anyone within the range
of the explosion. But if I may ask, what kind of a person would
sacrifice his life in order to kill innocent people and what would
possibly motivate that person to take the offer of becoming a suicide
bomber?
In the wake of several tragic incidents, the government,
civil society as well as security agencies have always found it
difficult to objectively analyse the causes and processes through which
suicide bombings are carried out since there is no single theory as to
what brings about such wicked act. Although many people have cited
negative indoctrination, radicalisation and religion as prime motivators
but the act involved a wide variety of motivation including politics,
quest for revenge, humiliation as well as altruism.
The
willingness of the perpetrator to kill himself shows a very high
symbolic value and dedication to whatever may be his cause. However, the
truth is that suicide bombing has become a most accessible weapon of
choice available to the terrorist groups because of its
cost-effectiveness, lethality, ability to cause confusion as well as the
tremendous amount of publicity and fear it generates as clearly
witnessed in the series of bomb attacks across the nation. For example,
immediately after the last blast, the usual crowd witnessed at motor
parks, night clubs and other social event centres, in no time,
disappeared because of the wide speculations through the media that
there was likely to be another bomb attack in those areas. This is a
classical example of the effect of fears associated with terrorism.
Characteristics of a potential suicide bomber
There
is no specific profile for anyone who engages himself in suicide
bombing. A suicide bomber can come from nearly every cultural
background, religion, race, creed or gender. However, the following are
common characteristics of a potential suicide bomber.
Through his behaviour
• He behaves in a way similar to someone with no future.
•
His mental state could present clues – his eyes are secretive, he makes
obvious attempt to avoid eye contact with the people he perceived to be
his enemies and always looking at every possible exit.
• Mumbling prayers – may be fervently praying to himself, showing the impression of whispering to someone else.
• He shows no response to any authoritative voice, command or instruction.
Through his appearance
•
He wears clothes that are unsuitable for the present-day weather. For
instance, wearing of sweater or rain-coat during hot weather.
• He wears slack or puffy clothes. This gives the impression that his body is excessively larger than his head or feet.
•
Sweating – resulting from tension and stress or wearing of unsuitable
clothes. For instance, wearing a heavy coat during high weather
temperature.
• He appears to be focused and more vigilant on his target.
•
He will usually have his hands placed in the pocket, around the button
of the detonator and ready to set off the bomb at the slightest
opportunity.
• He carries big bags or backpacks tightly with wires piercing out of the bag.
•
He may most likely have a clean shave or low hair-cut especially when
he is ready to carry out the task. This may be done to disguise his real
appearance.
• He displays signs of drug use. For instance, his pupils become enlarged with fixed staring.
• His breathings are heavy and rapid.
• Mostly male who falls between the age range of 16 to 30 years of age.
• He looks aggressive, restless, irritable and nervous.
Through his movement
•
He walks awkwardly or clumsily in an unusual and odd manner. This is
usually due to the unsuitable attire he is wearing and sometimes due to
the weight of the explosive devices tied around his body.
• He
tries to be evasive in movement. This unusual gait is adopted to evade
security agents and some other persons who may foil his plans.
•
Often times, he may not know the route to his target destination very
well, hence he may occasionally ask for directions. One of the suicide
bombers that struck at a church in Kaduna in late 2013 had to ask
commercial motorcyclists for direction to the church he eventually
struck.
Through his kind of person/other features
• He
tries to blend into a group which he clearly does not belong to. For
instance, he tries to attend Church worship services even as a
non-Christian with clear intention to carry out surveillance and
identify vulnerable areas before attack.
• He demonstrates
forceful actions in order to reach his desired target by pushing the
crowd so as to find his way into a restricted area or showing
desperations to reach a crowded point or particular target.
• He
will usually have an unusual herbal smell. This is as a result of
incense used in the final rituals performed on him as he takes off for
the suicide mission.
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