A Study on the Measures against Suicide Terrorism

자살테러에 대한 대책 연구

Over the past two decades suicide terrorism has become an ever-widening phenomenon. When suicide terrorism was first introduced in the Middle East it seemed that this new phenomenon was invincible and that it might change the innate imbalance between terror groups and their rivalry governments. This did not in fact occur. Looking at history of terrorism, it can be seen that suicide attacks are in actuality a very old modus operandi. However, contemporary suicide terrorism differs from such historical tactics, just as the whole phenomenon of terrorism differs from ancient modes of warfare. Modern suicide terrorism is aimed at causing devastating physical damage. through which it inflicts profound fear and anxiety. Its goal is to produce a negative psychological effect on an entire population rather than just the victims of the actual attack. The relatively high number of casualties guaranteed in such attacks, which are usually carried out in crowded areas, ensures full media coverage. Thus, suicide terrorism, ranks with other spectacular modus operandi such as blowing up airplanes in mid air or the use of Weapons of Mass Destruction as a sure means to win maximum effect. For the purposes of this paper a suicide terror attack is defined as a politically motivated violent attack perpetrated by a self-aware individual (or individuals) who actively and purposely causes his own death through blowing himself up along with his chosen target. The perpetrator's ensured death is a precondition for the success of his mission. The greatest potential risk suicide terrorism may pose in future is if terrorists carry out operations combined with other spectacular tactics such as blowing up airplanes or the use of Weapons of Mass Destruction. Such a combination will increase immensely the death toll of a single terror attack and will have a shocking psychological effect on public moral. At this level suicide terrorism would constitute a genuine strategic threat and would probably be confronted as such. This study portrays a general overview of the modern history of suicide terror activity worldwide, focusing on its main characteristics and the various aims and motivations of the terror groups involved. In addition, This study provides an overview what is to be done to prevent such terrorist attacks.