Path to Paradise: The Inner World of Suicide Bombers and Their Dispatchers

by Anat Berko

Overview

Suicide bombers are often compared to "smart bombs." From the point of view of their dispatchers, they are highly effective, inexpensive forms of weaponry, and there is no need to invest in their technological development. Suicide bombers are in fact smarter than smart bombs because they can choose their own target--and they can react to circumstances on the ground, changing their target, or their timing, in an instant, to ensure the maximum damage, destruction, and death. Of course, unlike smart bombs, suicide bombers think and feel, they have histories, stories, beliefs, desires--in short, they have an inner world. Exploring the inner world of suicide bombers has been the focus of Anat Berko's research for years. She has worked to understand the thought processes of a people who can choose to place explosives on their bodies and kill themselves, taking as many other people with them as they can.

Do male bombers really believe that death will transport them to a paradise where they will be greeted by virgins? Are they victims of unbearable pressure to commit this act of terror? What are female bombers promised in the hereafter? Is there something that links all suicide bombers? Berko also explores the world of those who "drop the smart bomb"--the dispatchers: who are these people who persuade others to go calmly to their horrific deaths?

To learn about the inner world of suicide bombers and their dispatchers, Berko entered Israel's most heavily secured prison cells and conducted intensive and extensive interviews with male and female suicide bombers who had failed their missions, as well as with their dispatchers--including former Hamas spiritual and operative leader Sheikh Ahmed Yassin (later assassinated by Israel).

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781567207057
Publisher:	ABC-CLIO, Incorporated
Publication date:	04/30/2007
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	337 KB

About the Author

Anat Berko, who holds a Ph.D. in Criminology and served as Lieutenant Colonel in the Israeli Defense Forces, is a research fellow at the International Policy Institute for Counter Terrorism. She also conducts research for the National Security Council.

Table of Contents

Foreword Moshe Addad ix

Acknowledgments xi

Introduction xiii

1 Dispatcher of Palestinian Suicide Bombers: "Find Me Sad Guys" 1

2 The Role of the Dispatcher: "Everybody Has His Job: I Dispatch the Suicide Bomber and He Explodes" 14

3 Organization: "The Dispatchers Don't Send Their Own Sons to Blow Themselves Up" 25

4 Dispatchers Are Held in High Esteem: "I'm Considered Someone Who Does Something Good" 36

5 Dispatcher Macho: "My Father Taught It What It Means to Be a Man and Didn't Allow US to Be Cowards" 44

6 Sheikh Ahmad Yassin, Hamas Founder: "The Shaheed Doesn't Die, He Lives with Allah" 50

7 Women in Prison: "She Poured Boiling Margarine on My Face" 69

8 As Machiavelli Said, "The End Justifies the Means" 80

9 The Book of Mug Shots: "Huda Can't Talk to You Now, She's Having Her Face Done" 90

10 The Value of Women: "I'll Never Do Anyone Any Good, Anyway" 96

11 The Terrorist's Dream: "I've Wanted to Be a Shaheeda Ever Since I Was a Little Girl" 113

12 Double Standard: "Sure, I'd Attack a Kindergarten! I Am Able to Look at Your Children-and Explode!" 125

13 Is the "Other" a Human Being? "Do Israeli Mothers Feel Pain Like We Do?" 137

14 A Teenage Shaheed: "My Classmate Enlisted Me as a Shaheed. He Was Paid and Gave Me 100 Shekels" 147

15 Paradise: "All That Is Forbidden in This World Is Allowed in Paradise" 159

The Last Word 171

Notes 177

Glossary 179

Selected Bibliography 181

Index 185

What People are Saying About This

Gen. Amos Malka (Ret.)

"What goes through the mind of a suicide bomber from the moment he—or she—is recruited until the detonator is activated? How are they recruited? What about their families? Dr. Anat Berko spent thousands of hours in the lion's den trying to answer these questions. What she found makes us understand the real threat that suicide bombers, their handlers, and the organizations they belong to pose to world peace."

Avi Dichter

"The subjects of this book--would-be terrorists whose lives were spared, because their missions were aborted when they were discovered by Israeli security forces or by alert bystanders--describe their desires and goals to Anat Berko with extraordinary candor. Their motivations, from self-hatred to hatred of Jews, shed light on their lives and culture--though in this case the light they shed is more like darkness visible. Dr. Berko tells their stories with startling clarity, sensitivity, and insight."

—

Avi Dichter, Minister of Public Security, State of Israel, Formerly head of the Israeli Security Agency, Currently Minister of Internal Security

Avi Dichter

"The subjects of this book—would-be terrorists whose lives were spared, because their missions were aborted when they were discovered by Israeli security forces or by alert bystanders—describe their desires and goals to Anat Berko with extraordinary candor. Their motivations, from self-hatred to hatred of Jews, shed light on their lives and culture—though in this case the light they shed is more like darkness visible. Dr. Berko tells their stories with startling clarity, sensitivity, and insight."

George P. Fletcher

"The Path to Paradise is an astounding document, an original and authoritative account of the inner worlds of suicide bombers and their dispatchers. Dr. Anat Berko brings to her work a unique combination of academic expertise, and, as the daughter of Jewish refugees from Iraq, genuine cultural understanding of the world of her subjects. The depth of both her professional and personal knowledge of her subject make this book a must-read for anyone interested in the real and complex causes of the suicidal terror that is spreading like wildfire throughout the world, and of which we in the US felt the devastating effects on September 11th, 2001."

—

George P. Fletcher, Columbia University, Author of Romantics at War: Glory and Guilt in the Age of Terrorism

George P. Fletcher

"The Path to Paradise is an astounding document, an original and authoritative account of the inner worlds of suicide bombers and their dispatchers. Dr. Anat Berko brings to her work a unique combination of academic expertise, and, as the daughter of Jewish refugees from Iraq, genuine cultural understanding of the world of her subjects. The depth of both her professional and personal knowledge of her subject make this book a must-read for anyone interested in the real and complex causes of the suicidal terror that is spreading like wildfire throughout the world, and of which we in the US felt the devastating effects on September 11th, 2001."

Khaled Abu Toameh

"This is a serious, thorough, penetrating analysis of the dark and mysterious world of suicide bombers and their dispatchers. By spending thousands of hours with would-be suicide bombers, and their spiritual leaders, the author succeeds in conveying a vivid (and appalling) picture of their real motives. This book is essential reading for anyone trying to understand the phenomenon of suicide bombings and the ever-increasing threat of Islamic fundamentalism."

—

Khaled Abu Toameh, Veteran reporter and commentator on Palestinian affairs, Correspondent, The Jerusalem Post

Gen. Amos Malka (Ret.)

"What goes through the mind of a suicide bomber from the moment he--or she--is recruited until the detonator is activated? How are they recruited? What about their families? Dr. Anat Berko spent thousands of hours in the lion's den trying to answer these questions. What she found makes us understand the real threat that suicide bombers, their handlers, and the organizations they belong to pose to world peace."

—

Gen. Amos Malka (Ret.), Former Chief of Israeli Military Intelligence

Khaled Abu Toameh

"This is a serious, thorough, penetrating analysis of the dark and mysterious world of suicide bombers and their dispatchers. By spending thousands of hours with would-be suicide bombers, and their spiritual leaders, the author succeeds in conveying a vivid (and appalling) picture of their real motives. This book is essential reading for anyone trying to understand the phenomenon of suicide bombings and the ever-increasing threat of Islamic fundamentalism."

Editorial Reviews

Berko has written an interesting book that departs from many of the typical studies of suicide bombers. Her research involved frequent and extensive conversations with Palestinians jailed by Israel for attempted suicide terrorist attacks; the author recounts, in some cases transcribes, these discussions. Equally interesting is the author's emphasis on women's roles in suicide bombing and, more broadly, the role that gender plays in shaping the logic and motivation of terrorism against Israel. As always, the issue of bias in the scholarship on the Arab-Israeli conflict is something to consider here, as the author was previously a career officer in the Israeli Defense Forces. However, that does not undermine the value of her interviews, which flesh out and reflect similar studies of terrorism that emphasize the role of humiliation and gender. The book is a fascinating look at the individuals who carry out suicide attacks, and helps us understand the people, arguments, and emotions that give rise to this form of terrorism. Highly recommended. General readers, upper-division undergraduates through practitioners.” —Choice

“This book, written by former Israeli Lieutenant Colonel Anat Berko, is an exploration of the world of suicide bombing. With unparalleled access to some of Israel's most heavily guarded prisons, Berko conducts interviews with suicide bombers who were stopped before they could carry out their attacks, and also with their handlers.” —Middle East Jourbanal

“For those dealing with terrorism this book is a must read.” —International Institute of Security & Safety Management Newsletter

“This book is probably one of the best I have seen on the subject since the terrorists she interviewed either were arrested prior to getting to their targets or changed their mind prior to blowing up their targets or were the dispatchers who sent other suicide bombers.” —Specialized Consulting Services

“Berko entered Israeli prisons and interviewed failed Palestinian suicide bombers and arrested bomb dispatchers. Here, she reports on those interviews, including one with the late Hamas leader Sheik Yassin, in order to explore the motivations of these figures, as well as how suicide bombing attacks against Israel are organized. In much of the work, she stresses the religious aspects of the phenomena and downplays the political and military realities of the Israeli occupation. (If she is familiar with the work of political scientist Robert Pape whose comprehensive study of suicide bombings world-wide led him to conclude that there is little connection between suicide terrorism and Islamic fundamentalism, or any one of the world's religions. Rather, what nearly all suicide terrorist attacks have in common is a specific secular and strategic goal: to compel modern democracies to withdraw military forces from territory that the terrorists consider to be their homeland she does not reveal it.” —Reference & Research Book News

“Anat Berko's The Path to Paradise: The Inner World of Suicide Bombers and Their Dispatchers is one of the most revealing, compelling and insightful books written about Palestinian suicide bombers and the men who dispatch them on their missions. What distinguishes this book is the author's unique access to Palestinian prisoners who failed to carry out their suicide bombings or were arrested for organizing terrorist operations. This has enabled her to open a window into the inner world of these men and women….The book contains a wealth of information about Palestinian society, such as the impact of polygamous families and arranged marriages on the sons and daughters who decide to become suicide martyrs. The Path to Paradise is essential reading for understanding Palestinian suicide terrorism and the measures required to resolve it.” —The Washington Times

“From her tightly written case notes of incarcerated bombers, Berko provides a cultural look at the men and women who choose their route to paradise by becoming a shaheed or a shaheeda (a Muslim willing to die as a martyr for the sake of Allah).” —Security Letter

“[A] rare first-hand account of the motivations and feelings of suicide terrorists, both men and women, and the whole frame of reference for their acts.” —The Institute for the Study of Religion, Violence & Memory

From the Publisher

"This book, written by former Israeli Lieutenant Colonel Anat Berko, is an exploration of the world of suicide bombing. With unparalleled access to some of Israel's most heavily guarded prisons, Berko conducts interviews with suicide bombers who were stopped before they could carry out their attacks, and also with their handlers."—Middle East Journal

Middle East Journal

"This book is probably one of the best I have seen on the subject since the terrorists she interviewed either were arrested prior to getting to their targets or changed their mind prior to blowing up their targets or were the dispatchers who sent other suicide bombers."—Specialized Consulting Services

Specialized Consulting Services

"Berko entered Israeli prisons and interviewed failed Palestinian suicide bombers and arrested bomb dispatchers. Here, she reports on those interviews, including one with the late Hamas leader Sheik Yassin, in order to explore the motivations of these figures, as well as how suicide bombing attacks against Israel are organized. In much of the work, she stresses the religious aspects of the phenomena and downplays the political and military realities of the Israeli occupation."—Reference & Research Book News

Reference & Research Book News

"Berko has written an interesting book that departs from many of the typical studies of suicide bombers. Her research involved frequent and extensive conversations with Palestinians jailed by Israel for attempted suicide terrorist attacks; the author recounts, in some cases transcribes, these discussions. Equally interesting is the author's emphasis on women's roles in suicide bombing and, more broadly, the role that gender plays in shaping the logic and motivation of terrorism against Israel. As always, the issue of bias in the scholarship on the Arab-Israeli conflict is something to consider here, as the author was previously a career officer in the Israeli Defense Forces. However, that does not undermine the value of her interviews, which flesh out and reflect similar studies of terrorism that emphasize the role of humiliation and gender. The book is a fascinating look at the individuals who carry out suicide attacks, and helps us understand the people, arguments, and emotions that give rise to this form of terrorism. Highly recommended. General readers, upper-division undergraduates through practitioners."—Choice

Choice

"For those dealing with terrorism this book is a must-read. "—International Institute of Security & Safety Management Newsletter

International Institute of Security & Safety Management Newsletter

Praise for the hardcover edition:

"With unprecedented access to a population of failed, thwarted, or aborted suicide bombers in prison, [Dr. Berko] has created a uniquely insightful work. . . . Future suicide attackers in the United States may not precisely replicate the individuals interviewed in Israeli prisons for the research contained in this book. The Path to Paradise is, however, a critically enlightening work on a sample of existing terrorists. American counter terrorism personnel can gain much insight from Dr. Berko's research."—Counter Terrorist

Counter Terrorist