Outfits of Suicide Terror: A Ready Reckoner by N Manoharan

Outfits of Suicide Terror: A Ready Reckoner

N Manoharan
Research Officer, IPCS

There are nearly 19 terrorist organizations at present that have resorted to suicide attacks, besides other tactics, on their targets. Some have gone into oblivion, but others continue to operate. The table below provides brief information on the following: existence of a separate suicide unit within the organization if any, base(s) of operation, pre-suicide syndrome, the cause it is fighting for, first suicide attack, number of suicide attacks by end 2001, number of suicide attacks so far, motivation, external support and present status of these tactics adopted by the organization. The outfits are arranged in alphabetical order. This information will be periodically updated. (Last updated: 8 July 2004)

Outfit

Separate Suicide Unit

Base(s) of Operation

Pre-suicide syndrome

Cause it is fighting for

First attack

No. of suicide attacks

Mode of attack

Main motivation

External support

Present Status

Al Amal

None

Lebanon, Kuwait

---

Shiite rule in Lebanon

---

25[1]

Trucks, cars, body suits

Sectarian

Iran, Syria

Not known

Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigade

Whole unit meant for it

Israel / Palestine

---

Independent Palestine

January 2002

19[2]

Cars, body suits

Palestinian nationalism

PLO, some Arab States

Active

Al Dawa

None

Lebanon, Kuwait

---

Jihad

1983

Trucks, cars

Religion

Iran

Not known

Al Qaeda

Reportedly ‘Hamburg Group’ bonded around Muhammad Atta and ‘Saudi Group’

Initially in the Middle- east and later all over the world

---

Directed against the United States, Israel and, of late, India.

7 Sept 98

13 (approx)

Boats, air craft, trucks, cars, body suits

Religion, anti-West, charismatic leadership.

Support base runs across the world and partly from personal wealth

Spreading tentacles

all over the world

by its intermittent attacks

Armed Islamic Group (GIS)

None

Algeria

---

Islamic state in Algeria

---

Suit case

Religion

Iran, Sudan

Active, but splintered

Barbar Khalsa International (BKI)

None

India

---

Separate Khalistan from India

---

Body suit

Separate Kalistan

Sikh diaspora

Not known

Chechen rebels

None

Russia

---

Separate Chechnya

July 2000

Trucks, cars, body suits

Religion

Al Qaeda, some Islamic NGOs

Active

Egyptian Islamic Jihad (EIJ)

None

Egypt

---

Islamic state in Egypt

---

Not known

cars

Religion

Iran, some Islamic NGOs

Active

Hamas

Izz a-Din al Kassam squad

Israel

Mass killings without attempts to escape.

Destruction of Israel and establishment of Palestine

1993

Suitcase, body suits, car, animals

Religion

Palestine diaspora, Iran, some Arab states, some Islamic NGOs

Presently

in the limelight due to on-going second intifada

Hezbullah[3]

None (trained on ad hoc basis)

Lebanon, Panama, Argentina

---

To oust ‘foreign’ troops from Lebanon and establish Islamic state

23 October 1983[4]

25[5]

Truck, car, body suits

Religion

Iran, Syria

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Outfits of Suicide Terror: A Ready Reckoner

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