Causes of Contemporary Suicide Terrorism
Economic Deprivation?
- no evidence at macro or micro level
- terrorists are usually from middle- or upper- class families
Extremist Islamic
Fundamentalist Ideology?
-
how to explain non-Islamic terrorism?
o
LTTE
in
o
BKI
in
National Independence/Anti-Occupation Effort
- seek to overthrow colonial government
- oust foreign occupation forces
- Pape: terrorist goal is “to compel
modern democracies to withdraw military forces from territory that the
terrorists consider to be their homeland” (Pape, 38)
Pape’s Pre-conditions of Suicide Terrorism
-
Religious
Differences Matter
o
suicide terrorism occurs when there is confessional nationalism.
-
Democratic
target
-
Perceived
foreign occupation
-
Nationalist
rebellion
-
No
prior concessions by target democracy
Why is Suicide Terrorism Effective?
-
‘Occupied’
population supports the goals
-
Martyrdom
reinforces the goal and social support
-
Deadlier
than alternatives
o
Suicide
attacks account for 3% of all terrorist attacks from 1980-2003 but account for
48% of deaths, excluding
o
12
deaths per attack v. <1 death average
-
see
Pape Appendix I for list through 2005
