The anatomy of a suicide bomber

They also forced the Sri Lankan Government to create an independent Tamil state from 1990. The 1991 assassination of the Indian prime minister stopped any Indian attempt from ever again deploying troops in Sri Lanka to assist the Sri Lankan Government. Having scared India off, the Tamil Tigers have not again found it necessary to attack Indian targets.

Terrorist groups have learned from each other. They see what works and how they can continuously improve a technique. For example, Tamil Tigers pioneered the now common “suicide belt”. This is an undergarment with specially made pockets to hold explosives and triggering devices so that they closely conform to the contours of the human bomb’s body. Other groups have followed this idea.

Terrorist groups need community support. First, such support enables a group to replenish its membership to make up for the losses through deaths in action.

Second, community support enables a suicide terrorist group to avoid detection and so evade elimination by the security forces of the target society. If there is broad sympathy among the local population, they can just melt away like fish in the sea.

Finally, community support is necessary for acceptance of the suicide terrorists as martyrs to the cause. They are not just common criminals or murderers. They are dying for a higher motive. Local support shows that they are fighting for a noble cause and enjoy public support. Their death will not be in vain. Many suicide terrorists make videos to be shown after they have committed their violence. The thriving Middle East suicide industry also contains souvenirs, such as keepsake key rings with the faces of the martyrs.

Combating this form of terrorism will therefore be a complex task. Security forces are important but not sufficient. The implication is that spreading democracy across the Middle East will not necessarily end terrorism. As long as the West is seen as an “occupying force”, it will be a target for terrorists. The challenge is to devise policies that both ensure that the West can get the oil, but without having to deploy forces in the region.