Distaff Side Jihadists
A report titled The Female Jihadist, dated December 14, 2006, authored by Canada's Integrated Threat Assessment Centre and released under the federal Access to Information Act, gives us a heads-up about a social phenomena we may have already noted. Most signally in the instances of female suicide bombers aligned with Hamas, intent on committing the dual acts of murder/suicide for their ideological/religious cause.The Internet has been identified as the technological tool that has, in a great many instances, given freedom to women to identify themselves as potential guerrillas in the struggles of minority groups which have embraced terrorism as their preferred method of achieving their goals. Organizations identified such as the Basque ETA, Tamil Tigers, Chechen guerrillas, and the PFLP, are among terror groups which have conscripted women to their deadly cause.
These women have been named mujahadiaat, the feminine of mujahadeen; Jihad fighters, female "holy warriors". The cautionary warning in the report is that as time goes on women can be expected to play a wider role in terrorist groups, from non-combat to increasingly action-oriented responsibilities. In reflection of their aspirations to full membership in ("liberation") terror organizations.
Conventionally conservative Islam has always sheltered women from contact with men not of their family, demanding that women keep themselves pure and well covered, out of sight but never out of mind. Internet contacts have liberated Muslim women in that sense, offering them the opportunity to initiate contact with men in developing relationships centering around these organizations.
Practicality trumps convention when it is fully realized that women are more innocent in appearance than men in their prime. They can move about without incurring suspicion. Their usefulness in reconnaissance, or as facilitators and couriers is undisputed, rousing little reason for those they spy upon to take notice of their presence. From these duties to the more direct and committed bombing missions is but a short trip.
Canada is now grappling with the problem of a young woman originally from Iran who settled in Canada with her family. The Mujahedin-e Khalq (MEK), a rebel Iranian organization operating out of Iraq began recruiting in Canada and elsewhere in the past decade from among the expatriate Iranian community. With her parents' encouragement, 17-year-old Somayeh Mohammady travelled to Camp Ashraf with her brother, in 1997.
Where she still remains, committed to the cause to overthrow Iran's theocracy. Her immigration status has lapsed, while her family has attained Canadian citizenship. Her father has travelled to the guerrilla camp on a number of occasions for the purpose of persuading her to return to Canada, but she remains committed to the terror group (a designated terrorist organization under Canadian law).
Canada has no wish to have her return. The family has undertaken a challenge of the Immigration and Refugee Board decision, despite their daughter's refusal to return to Canada. "I would like to be here", she claimed, "because I'm Mujahedin (singular) myself and
I want to be here."
Human rights groups contend that those who seek to defect from such organizations are beaten and detained. The lawyer retained by her family insists she has been brainwashed, or alternately is fearful of speaking honestly about her perceived predicament, under psychological pressure.
Wishful thinking on the part of her family. Women do commit themselves to what they identify with as a spiritual and existential cause. They become more than willing to give up the comfort and predictability of an ordinary existence, even if it means leaving loved ones behind. The romance of their involvement is all-enveloping.
The young and old Palestinian women who have dedicated their lives to the cause of holy jihad, inspired to suicide and murder, leaving their children to fend for themselves, intoxicated by their belief in martyrdom, are more than vindicated by the honour and esteem in which their commitment and sacrifices are celebrated in their communities.
Who declares that women are more sensible, empathetic and compassionate than men forget that there is not always as great a divide between the genders as we assume.
Labels: Human Fallibility, Terrorism
posted by Pieface @ Friday, November 09, 2007
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