Arab Information Center




Name : Suicide Bombs [i.e., suicide bombers ]: the Balance of Deterrence and the First Signs of Victory Author : Dr. Wajdi ‘Abd al-Fatah Sawahil Published in the series : Book of Jerusalem (number 18) Publisher : Arab Information Center, al-Giza, Egypt Year: 2003 (first edition)

A portrait of the author (pp. 203-204) Dr. Wajdi ‘Abd al-Fatah Sawahil

	The author received a BA degree summa cum laude from Tanta University in Egypt in 1987 and a PhD in molecular genetics from the University of Leeds in 1994. From 1996-1998 he did research work at the UN's International Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology in India. Today he is an associate professor of genetic engineering and biotechnology at the National Research Center in Cairo.

	Dr. Sawahil has been honored many times. He won the Egyptian National Research Center's award for the advancement of scientific research in 1995 and an award from the Third World Institute for Science in Italy in 1998. In 1999 he was awarded the Liwa' [Major General] Dr. Ahmad Zahran award for scientific education by the Academy for Scientific and Technological Research in Cairo, as a result of his work in the field of enrichment and scientific education (for the masses), especially for editing the first Arabic encyclopedia of genetic engineering.

	Besides the book under review he wrote two other propaganda books for the Book of Jerusalem series: The Book of Jerusalem – Technological War for the Suppression of the al-Aqsa Intifada, and The Intifada of the Internet – From an Armed Jihad to an Electronic Jihad .

Overview
	The book, as can be seen from its introduction (pp. 3-11), claims to present the results of studies done on suicide bombing attacks . In actual fact, it contains no objective information but rather encourages such attacks and even regards them as “ a trump card .” The author makes no attempt to hide his obvious and enthusiastic support for suicide bombing attacks which are, in his opinion and as he describes them, the most effective weapon in the al-Aqsa intifada's arsenal

	Following are excerpts from the introduction dealing with the contents of the book and the author's world view :

		“When the active Palestinian resistance [movement] ( muqawamah ) decided to exploit the human resources of its fearless men against the Israeli war machine, it turned them into human bombs called ‘perpetrators of suicide bombing attacks ( istishhadiyyin )'. That was done to instill fear and terror in the hearts of the Zionists.” (p. 5) ² ² However, in the eyes of their strong supporters, such as the author, they are considered martyrs who are ready to blow themselves up, sacrificing their lives and dying in battle with “the Zionist enemy” for the sake of Allah and the entire Muslim nation.

		“ The suicide bombing attacks (‘ amliyyat istishhadiyyah ) are considered the most important weapon currently available to the active Palestinian resistance , since they inflict grave damages to the ranks of the Zionist enemy. It [the weapon] is plentiful, its supply is inexhaustible and suicide bombers cannot be thwarted… The [Israeli] army and the entire Zionist security apparatus were and are helpless in the face of the suicide bomber, who suddenly appears before them like a decree of fate, penetrating their fortifications and overcoming their security measures.” (p. 5)

		The book quotes from the Arab writer ‘ Izzat al-Rishq, who says that “the suicide bombing attacks are our trump card, what turned our weakness and poor ability to maneuver into a [great] force , created conditions of [strategic] balance which were previously unknown in the conflict with the Zionist enemy and made our people capable of reacting, of deterring [the enemy], of damaging and harming that enemy… Such a weapon gave the Palestinian people the hope…to realize their rights and drive the invaders away in disgrace… The suicide bombers are therefore the Palestinians' most desirable weapon and for that reason they will never yield the source of that power. ” (pp. 6-8)

		“ The third part [of the book deals with] the appearance of suicide bombers from 1986 till their proliferation with the outbreak of the al-Aqsa intifada …we will reveal the criteria for choosing a Palestinian who will perpetrate a suicide bombing attack; how the Fida'iyyin ³ reach their destinations, despite heightened Israeli security measures; how long it takes to prepare for a suicide bombing attack; how much a suicide bombing attack costs; how intelligence about the target is gathered; what the factors are which motivate Palestinians to perpetrate suicide bombing attacks; we will survey the ways Palestinians express their love, estimation and feeling of pride for the brave deed of the shaheed (martyr), the heroic myth which the jihad creates and the might of the [martyrs'] struggle as expressed by the way [the Palestinians] decorate [even] their cellular phones with pictures of the [admired] suicide bombers.” (p. 10) ³ Muslims who are ready to sacrifice their lives in battle for the sake of Allah and the Muslim nation but do not necessarily die in action.

		“In summation… it is clear to us that active resistance, and first and foremost suicide bombing attacks… are a strategic deterrent weapon which the Zionist enemy cannot neutralize or overcome. The Israelis view death as loss and finality, whereas Moslems see it as a [new] life [in heaven] better than one of wretchedness and disgrace [in this world] . Therefore, they must be given a chance to liberate the lands of Palestine, just as [a chance] was given to negotiations [i.e., the political process initiated in 1993 with the signing of the Oslo accords] for 10 years and [as a chance was given] to the Security Council and to the United States for more than 50 years [to solve the Palestinian problem], with no results whatsoever.” (p. 11)