"Bomb attack kills 74 at Baghdad mosque"

http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/04/07/iraq.main/index.html

April 7, 2006

"BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Three suicide bombers -- two of whom were disguised as Shiite women -- struck a Baghdad mosque affiliated with a major Shiite political party Friday, killing at least 74 people."

The association between sex and success was long determined not only by vice departments throughout the world, it's being applied by terrorists as well. This event, where males were disguised as females, is just an example of the easiness in which security overlooks women as threats.
Useful skills called 'predictive profiling' are disliked by people. Most people fear that 'profiling' may unleash ethnic discrimination, so they prefer doing without. Ironically, politically incorrect as it might be, security personnel do in fact profile. In this manner, women are 'profiled' as "less threatening" than men. Aggressors use this lack of articulation of what real profiling should be to their advantage. They simply send women to execute uncomplicated tasks, those that do not require difficult planning or any physical challenge. In fact, they choose a plan that does not even require a getaway. The female suicide bomber is the next real thing.

There are more and more females who are involved in suicide attacks. The reasons vary, but the rising numbers can be explained by their operational success and advantages in concealing the explosives. They arouse less suspicion than men as they are often checked less thoroughly by security.

Why would a woman agree to commit to a horrific deadly act such as a suicide attack?

Every female who carried out an attack so far held her own motivation and belief. Some of them wanted to take revenge on the enemy and there is no other guerilla method of operation that is more successful than suicide bombing. The fact that females' operations are more 'successful' in terms of casualties just enhances the recruitment of candidates. Moreover, in terms of field operations females can't contribute to the cause as males can. The reason is mainly their limited physical capability. Therefore, engaging in suicide activity is one of the areas where females have an advantage over males. It’s hard to believe, but there is even religious justification. Female suicide bombers believe that when they get to heaven they'll be in charge of the 72 virgins who serve the Shahid -- the martyr.

Logistically, women have an advantage over men in concealment options. The garments women wear provide spaces that can be used for an explosive belt. The benefit of female suicide bombers is therefore apparent. The terror impact is enormous and chances for success are much greater with women infiltrating the enemy's security obstacles.

In this war on terrorism everybody is equal -- male or female. Feminists would like this equality.

Tomer Benito
Counter-Terrorism Specialist