Hussam Abdo
Encyclopedia
Hussam Abdo was a Palestinian
teenager, from the Masahiya area of Nablus
, who made international headlines on 24 March 2004, when he entered the Hawara Checkpoint in the West Bank
, with eight kilos (18 lbs) of explosives strapped to his body as part of a suicide attack attempt.
robot was sent to him with a pair of scissors, so that he could cut off the explosives, all the while telling soldiers that he did not want to die. He was then searched for more bombs but none were found and the bomb taken from Abdo's vest was later exploded at a safe area. The commanding officer at the checkpoint noted that it is possible that the boy tried to activate the explosive belt but that "it did not work".
Media reported that Abdo said he was offered 100 NIS and promised sex with the promised virgins
and Israeli security forces added that in the inquiry it was found that Abdo was unpopular among his fellow students and that his friends would mock him. Fatah
's military wing of Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades
from the Balata refugee camp in Nablus took responsibility for the sending of the boy.
When asked on Israeli television to give the reason for his attempted attack, Abdo said "because of the people". When this was repeated back to him in the form of a question, he responded, "they don't love me". He was then asked by a reporter if he also thought about paradise, and nodded his head. The Jerusalem Post quoted Hussam as saying his handlers told him that blowing himself up is the only chance he'd have at sex with 72 virgins in the Garden of Eden.
ABC News
connected the incident with the Israeli killing of Ahmed Yassin
, founder of Hamas
(e.g. Fatah
rivals), in Gaza
and to the death of 12 year-old Muhammad al-Dura three years earlier. They noted that in the battle of images, the amazing scene of the young suicide bomber willing to kill himself and others was immediately seized by the Israeli officials who, hours after the incident, presented the boy to the media while forbidding foreign journalists from speaking to him.
The Age
reported that Hussam said, in an interview, that after years of bullying by classmates, he wanted to reach the paradise he had learned about in Islamic teachings.
was allowed an interview with Abdo in an Israeli jail in which he detailed the trail of mission. He said he was recruited by his friend Nasser, a 16 year old classmate who approached him asking Abdo if he would find him a "martyr bomber", to which Abdo replied he'll do it. Abdo was then taken to Wael, a 21 year old member of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades
who took him to a third militant who put the bomb belt on the boy and both took pictures of him. Abdo described his feelings towards the people who sent him as 'normal' and noted that one of them is also in prison and that they are friends. When asked about the reasons for the attack, Abdo stated it was because his friend was killed and also because he desired to be relieved of school.
In the documentary The Making of a Martyr
, Abdo was interviewed a year and a half after his attempted suicide bombing. He expressed no remorse and in fact seemed closer to the terrorists with whom he was incarcerated. He regretted not being in an explosion and remembered his failed attempt with joy, saying "When they drove me to the checkpoint, I was giggling and jumping."
, was captured in the award-winning documentary, The Making of A Martyr
, by Brooke Goldstein and Alistair Leyland.
Husam was interviewed by Pierre Rehov
for making of his documentary Suicide Killers
where Rehov studies the psychopathology behind Muslim terrorism, and why some Muslim parents are willing to offer their children as martyrs.
According to Shafiq Masalha, a clinical psychologist who teaches at Tel Aviv University's education program, 15% of Palestinian children dream of becoming suicide bombers. According to Eyad Sarraj, Palestinian psychiatrist and director of the Gaza Community Mental Health Program, a survey his group made found that 36% of Palestinians over 12 aspired to die "a martyr's death" fighting Israel.
Palestinian people
The Palestinian people, also referred to as Palestinians or Palestinian Arabs , are an Arabic-speaking people with origins in Palestine. Despite various wars and exoduses, roughly one third of the world's Palestinian population continues to reside in the area encompassing the West Bank, the Gaza...
teenager, from the Masahiya area of Nablus
Nablus
Nablus is a Palestinian city in the northern West Bank, approximately north of Jerusalem, with a population of 126,132. Located in a strategic position between Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim, it is the capital of the Nablus Governorate and a Palestinian commercial and cultural center.Founded by the...
, who made international headlines on 24 March 2004, when he entered the Hawara Checkpoint in the West Bank
West Bank
The West Bank ) of the Jordan River is the landlocked geographical eastern part of the Palestinian territories located in Western Asia. To the west, north, and south, the West Bank shares borders with the state of Israel. To the east, across the Jordan River, lies the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan...
, with eight kilos (18 lbs) of explosives strapped to his body as part of a suicide attack attempt.
The incident
Abdo, then reportedly aged 14, approached the checkpoint running towards the soldiers, wearing 8 Kilograms (18 lbs) of explosives on a vest with the activation switch in his hands. When the Israeli soldiers noticed something suspicious about the boy, they directed their weapons at him and he became startled and raised his arms without detonating the belt. He was then ordered to raise his shirt and the explosives belt was discovered. After all the people were ordered to safety, a specialized Bomb disposalBomb disposal
Bomb disposal is the process by which hazardous explosive devices are rendered safe. Bomb disposal is an all encompassing term to describe the separate, but interrelated functions in the following fields:*Military:...
robot was sent to him with a pair of scissors, so that he could cut off the explosives, all the while telling soldiers that he did not want to die. He was then searched for more bombs but none were found and the bomb taken from Abdo's vest was later exploded at a safe area. The commanding officer at the checkpoint noted that it is possible that the boy tried to activate the explosive belt but that "it did not work".
Media reported that Abdo said he was offered 100 NIS and promised sex with the promised virgins
Houri
In Islam, the ḥūr or ḥūrīyah are commonly translated as " companions of equal age ", "lovely eyed", of "modest gaze", "pure beings" or "companions pure" of paradise, denoting humans and jinn who enter paradise after being recreated anew in the hereafter...
and Israeli security forces added that in the inquiry it was found that Abdo was unpopular among his fellow students and that his friends would mock him. Fatah
Fatah
Fataḥ is a major Palestinian political party and the largest faction of the Palestine Liberation Organization , a multi-party confederation. In Palestinian politics it is on the left-wing of the spectrum; it is mainly nationalist, although not predominantly socialist. Its official goals are found...
's military wing of Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades
Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades
The al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades is a coalition of Palestinian nationalist militias in the West Bank. The group's name refers to the al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem...
from the Balata refugee camp in Nablus took responsibility for the sending of the boy.
When asked on Israeli television to give the reason for his attempted attack, Abdo said "because of the people". When this was repeated back to him in the form of a question, he responded, "they don't love me". He was then asked by a reporter if he also thought about paradise, and nodded his head. The Jerusalem Post quoted Hussam as saying his handlers told him that blowing himself up is the only chance he'd have at sex with 72 virgins in the Garden of Eden.
ABC News
ABC News
ABC News is the news gathering and broadcasting division of American broadcast television network ABC, a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company...
connected the incident with the Israeli killing of Ahmed Yassin
Ahmed Yassin
Sheikh Ahmed Ismail Hassan Yassin was a founder of Hamas, an Islamist Palestinian paramilitary organization and political party. Yassin also served as the spiritual leader of the organization...
, founder of Hamas
Hamas
Hamas is the Palestinian Sunni Islamic or Islamist political party that governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas also has a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades...
(e.g. Fatah
Fatah
Fataḥ is a major Palestinian political party and the largest faction of the Palestine Liberation Organization , a multi-party confederation. In Palestinian politics it is on the left-wing of the spectrum; it is mainly nationalist, although not predominantly socialist. Its official goals are found...
rivals), in Gaza
Gaza
Gaza , also referred to as Gaza City, is a Palestinian city in the Gaza Strip, with a population of about 450,000, making it the largest city in the Palestinian territories.Inhabited since at least the 15th century BC,...
and to the death of 12 year-old Muhammad al-Dura three years earlier. They noted that in the battle of images, the amazing scene of the young suicide bomber willing to kill himself and others was immediately seized by the Israeli officials who, hours after the incident, presented the boy to the media while forbidding foreign journalists from speaking to him.
The Age
The Age
The Age is a daily broadsheet newspaper, which has been published in Melbourne, Australia since 1854. Owned and published by Fairfax Media, The Age primarily serves Victoria, but is also available for purchase in Tasmania, the Australian Capital Territory and border regions of South Australia and...
reported that Hussam said, in an interview, that after years of bullying by classmates, he wanted to reach the paradise he had learned about in Islamic teachings.
Interviews
In July 2004, the BBCBBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
was allowed an interview with Abdo in an Israeli jail in which he detailed the trail of mission. He said he was recruited by his friend Nasser, a 16 year old classmate who approached him asking Abdo if he would find him a "martyr bomber", to which Abdo replied he'll do it. Abdo was then taken to Wael, a 21 year old member of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades
Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades
The al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades is a coalition of Palestinian nationalist militias in the West Bank. The group's name refers to the al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem...
who took him to a third militant who put the bomb belt on the boy and both took pictures of him. Abdo described his feelings towards the people who sent him as 'normal' and noted that one of them is also in prison and that they are friends. When asked about the reasons for the attack, Abdo stated it was because his friend was killed and also because he desired to be relieved of school.
In the documentary The Making of a Martyr
The Making of A Martyr
The Making of a Martyr is a 2006 film made by Canadian directors Brooke Goldstein and Alistair Leyland.-Story:On March 25, 2004, Sixteen year old Hussam Abdo, was apprehended at an Israeli border checkpoint with live explosives strapped around his waist. Yet, he was noticed running towards the...
, Abdo was interviewed a year and a half after his attempted suicide bombing. He expressed no remorse and in fact seemed closer to the terrorists with whom he was incarcerated. He regretted not being in an explosion and remembered his failed attempt with joy, saying "When they drove me to the checkpoint, I was giggling and jumping."
Family report
Abdo's mother, Tamam, said "He's a small child who can't even look after himself. He's only 16 . . . He never had a happy childhood. He still hasn't seen anything in life. If he was over 18, that would have been possible, and I might even encourage him to do it. But it's impossible for a child his age to do it." Israeli media described Abdo as a "mentally challenged" boy while his brother, Hosni, said that Abdo "has the intelligence of a 12 year old." His family criticized the Israeli Defense Forces for "parading" the boy in front of international reporters. Abdo's uncle Khalil said that if he found out who sent his nephew out as a suicide bomber, he'd gladly kill the dispatcher himself.Media coverage
Abdo's story, and that of the child suicide bombing phenomenon in the Palestinian TerritoriesPalestinian territories
The Palestinian territories comprise the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Since the Palestinian Declaration of Independence in 1988, the region is today recognized by three-quarters of the world's countries as the State of Palestine or simply Palestine, although this status is not recognized by the...
, was captured in the award-winning documentary, The Making of A Martyr
The Making of A Martyr
The Making of a Martyr is a 2006 film made by Canadian directors Brooke Goldstein and Alistair Leyland.-Story:On March 25, 2004, Sixteen year old Hussam Abdo, was apprehended at an Israeli border checkpoint with live explosives strapped around his waist. Yet, he was noticed running towards the...
, by Brooke Goldstein and Alistair Leyland.
Husam was interviewed by Pierre Rehov
Pierre Rehov
Pierre Rehov is the pseudonym of a French film maker and novelist, most known for his movies which are almost exclusively based on the Arab-Israeli conflict....
for making of his documentary Suicide Killers
Suicide Killers
Suicide Killers is a documentary exploring the motivations of a suicide bomber. It includes rare and never-before-seen interviews with family members of terrorists, widows of suicide bombers and surviving terrorists whose suicide attacks failed...
where Rehov studies the psychopathology behind Muslim terrorism, and why some Muslim parents are willing to offer their children as martyrs.
According to Shafiq Masalha, a clinical psychologist who teaches at Tel Aviv University's education program, 15% of Palestinian children dream of becoming suicide bombers. According to Eyad Sarraj, Palestinian psychiatrist and director of the Gaza Community Mental Health Program, a survey his group made found that 36% of Palestinians over 12 aspired to die "a martyr's death" fighting Israel.
See also
- Child suicide bombers in the Israeli-Palestinian conflictChild suicide bombers in the Israeli-Palestinian conflictIn the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Palestinian militant groups have recruited minors to attack Israeli targets, both military and civilian, especially during the Second Intifada. In some cases these attacks have been suicidal in nature...
- Islamist terrorism
- The Making of a MartyrThe Making of A MartyrThe Making of a Martyr is a 2006 film made by Canadian directors Brooke Goldstein and Alistair Leyland.-Story:On March 25, 2004, Sixteen year old Hussam Abdo, was apprehended at an Israeli border checkpoint with live explosives strapped around his waist. Yet, he was noticed running towards the...
Multimedia - video
- "The Making of a Martyr" on AOL, (Trailer Video)
- Making of a Martyr on 'CNN The Situation Room' (hosted on youtube), CNNCNNCable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
, retrieved on: 20.1.2008.
Other
- 'IDF apprehends 14-year-old suicide bomber' By Amos Harel and Arnon Regular, HaaretzHaaretzHaaretz is Israel's oldest daily newspaper. It was founded in 1918 and is now published in both Hebrew and English in Berliner format. The English edition is published and sold together with the International Herald Tribune. Both Hebrew and English editions can be read on the Internet...
, retrieved on: 20.1.2008.