The Characteristics of Suicide Attack

            Analyzing the reports about the committed suicide bomb attacks, we can distinguish those characteristics concerning the ways of their performing, the means with which they are done, the place and target of the attack, the results that occur from such an act, as well as the goal they wanted to reach.
            Based on the writings from the Irish journalist, Gordon Thomas, The Tailor of Death is an unknown master from Palestine, supposedly from Jenin, who created “suits” for suicide bombers. That is, in fact, suitably tailored linen so that the arrangement of the explosives provides a balanced distribution of the explosive effect to cover much bigger territory, that is, to achieve much larger number of victims. In spite of investigations done by Shin Bet and Mossad, the identity of the tailor is left unknown.
            Improvised explosive devices are formal names for explosive devices used in the unconventional warfare by terrorist, guerrilla, and commando forces. Suicide bombers use such devices in their missions. Recently, the organizers of an attack make a big effort so the effect of the explosive is such to cause large destructions and large numbers of killed. In that name, they hire “engineers” throughout the world with the aim to make much murderous weapons. In an improvised explosive device, they build on the destructive, fatal, harmful and inflammable chemicals combined to destroy, disable and disturb. They can consist of military supplies, but mostly they are made of the unmilitary components. Typical devices consist of the explosive charge, possibly the additional generator (actuator) and detonator, mechanical or electronic. They are made very roughly with a frequent error during detonating. Depending on the decomposition, the explosives are classified into low and high. Low explosives burn rapidly and high explosives go through the detonation. Devices that suicide terrorists use are charged with the high explosive that is characterized by two fast forms of decomposition – burning and detonation. Detonation is an occurrence through which the decomposition spreads by the shock wave penetrating the explosive material. The force of the explosion releases at the 90% angle from the base on which the explosive is placed. If the base is formed, the explosive force can focus and produce a bigger effect in that way. This is called the formed charge. The radioactive material can be inserted into the explosive device and thus the “dirty bomb” is obtained, i.e., radiological dispersive device. The effect of such a device is bigger inasmuch as, besides the explosive effects, it disperses the radioactive material that doesn’t have the strength by itself and doesn’t inflict consequences as the nuclear impact, but people would be exposed to radiation in a confined space. The terrorists plan to make and use such devices.
            The so-called car bomb is the most destructive form of suicide terrorism. It is thus named after the large number of cases of placing the explosives in the cars, but these attacks are carried out with every kind of vehicles (van, truck...). The car is usually driven into the target building where the explosive is being activated, though the frequent use of that amount of explosive is among the mass of people in a public place. Bigger vehicles are used with the intent to go through the barriers that prevent the undisturbed export.
            The most frequent explosive charge, that suicide terrorists use, is a hand-made triacetone triperoxide – TATP, and trinitrotoluene – TNT. Acetone peroxide is the most widely available explosive and one that has a big advantage over others, because the dogs cannot reveal it. Specially trained dogs reveal explosives like hexogen, ammonal, plastic explosive, but not acetone peroxide. However, its preparation is very dangerous because it must be compressed for better detonation, which can induce an independent explosion. The use of flashlight as a detonator is very widespread because it is simpler and easily accessible. The flashlight is enough to break the glass and to coat the wire with some easily inflammable material. When the lamp turns on, the wire immediately begins to warm up and detonates the bomb.
            TNT is stronger explosive than acetone peroxide, but it is problematic because it cannot be plasticized in domestic conditions in which it is generally made, for the fear that the organizers might be disclosed. Furthermore, because of the need that TNT must be made with a real detonator, suicide bombers cannot wear a belt of The Tailor of Death, but they have to carry a device in their bag or to cover it under the wide coat, which cause more suspicion and the possibility that the enemy will reveal them.
            C4 plastic explosive is approximately 20% stronger than TNT, but its availability is very limited, which is the main reason why terrorists rarely use it.
            A handmade bomb usually consists of several cylinders, most often, these are the cut pieces of metallic water pipes, which are charged with explosives and fragments that are connected to the trigger wire. Fragments contain steel balls, bolts, nuts, pieces of thick wire, etc.
            The main killing power of bomb is not the explosion itself, but the fragments contained in the bomb that are launched in all directions during explosion. The most destructive are the steel balls of 3–7 mm in diameter, contained in the explosive of suicide bomber, that scatter around as several thousands bullets in the moment of detonation. Sometimes, the plastic fragments are used instead of the metal ones, in the cases when it is necessary to pass through the metal detector.(1)             As already mentioned, the targets of suicide attacks by the explosive are every infrastructural and human target in the most comprehensive sense.
            The target selection follows the survey and intelligence activity, with the main purpose of finding out the place and time of its most vulnerability. When a potential target falls into to the category of defended targets, these survey-intelligence activities may last to two years, while in another case of the so-called soft targets (mostly civilian targets and smaller economic centers and branches) the preparatory work is much shorter. Sometimes, the preparation is done in several days, even hours.
            Concerning the target, we can divide all suicide attacks by explosive to selective and non-selective. Selective attacks aim to destroy and maximally to harm enemy forces, their strongpoint and mobile resources, as well as to kill (assassinate) political leaders, diplomats, military and political administrators (generals, commanders, chiefs, etc.). Obliteration of selectively chosen targets aims to deteriorate the military and police power, that is, to deteriorate combat morale and to provoke disorientation and anarchy in the enemy society. Disorientation and anarchy represent the prerequisite for the entire disorganization of the country, which in that situation might capitulate in front of the terrorist organization.
            Disorganization and deterioration of the enemy state’s potential cannot be challenged only by attacking the selectively chosen targets, that is, the mechanism force of the terrorist organization is not big enough to score a victory attacking the state defense system. Therefore, the most frequent and brutal suicide attacks are performed on targets that do not fall into the category of non-selective targets. Non-selectively chosen targets are civilians, for which we can say that they were at the wrong place and in the wrong time. These are public gatherings (markets, cafés, etc.), attacked during the biggest frequency.
            Destroying and wounding the civilian population aims to cause mass fear among citizens that will by the means of the lever system, force their government to change its politics towards the terrorist organization.
            There are constant innovations in suicide terrorism with the aim to make such an act as efficient as possible for organizers, through the extended suffering of, eventually, the survived victims.
            Medical workers, in Shaare Zedek and Hadassah Hospitals in Jerusalem, testify about the injuries of their patients, inflicted during suicide bomb attacks, about the sufferings of the survived victims and the superhuman efforts of the staff to help them. There are screws, nails, and various metal objects, that can be in the size of one millimeter or larger. During the explosion, the mentioned contents fly in all directions and thousands of tiny objects penetrate the body of a victim, which makes their removing almost impossible. Recently, there are some chemicals added in the explosive with anticoagulant effect, which means that they disrupt the coagulation of blood in wounded victims. Patients often go through the extensive surgery to repair damaged organs. Fractures, burns, amputations, vascular injuries, paralysis, blindness or brain damage are just some of the consequences that those “lucky ones” who survive an initial explosion endure. Every one of them suffers from some kind of psychological effect, like post-traumatic stress imbalance or depression and anxiety.(2) Maximization of human sufferings is an aim that is successfully put into effect, not only in relation to a victim, but also to its environment.

Dr. Violeta Matovic

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