‘Suicide terrorism’ in Syria threatening Western states: Report

“Suicide terrorism” is thriving in Syria, has begun spreading and destabilizing neighboring Lebanon, and threatens the security of Western states, a new study shows.

The study, carried out by the Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center, found that fifteen percent of all suicide bombings in the world took place in Syria in 2013, and noted a surge of similar attacks in Lebanon since the start of 2014.

“This is the first study of its kind in the world that studies the use of suicide bombing in Syria as a modus operandi,” Dr. Reuven Erlich, the head of the center said.

“It’s relevant to the security of the West. This is not merely a theoretical study,” he added.

According to the report’s authors, the introduction of suicide bombings in Syria was imported by terrorists copying Al-Qaeda attacks in Iraq, and in other battle arenas.

The two organizations most associated with this form of terrorism in Syria are Al-Nusra Front, Al-Qaeda’s official branch, and its rival, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).
Suicide bombings carried out in 2012 and 2013 caused heavy losses and damages to the Syrians.

“These attacks spread to Lebanon in 2014, and have become the leading modus operandi” of Takfiri groups fighting Hezbollah and the Shia community there, the report added.

The biggest number of suicide terror attacks was carried out by Al-Nusra Front. Since its founding in January of 2012 to 2013, the organization carried out 43 of the recorded 50 suicide bombings in Syria that year, and in 2013, it carried out 34 additional attacks.