February 10, 2011: Teenage suicide bomber attack in Pakistan

MARDAN, PAKISTAN – The element of surprise comes in useful at times: even terrorists know that.

If you are commuting to work or school – I mean in non-COVID times! – how much attention do you pay to your surroundings? If you are like most people I would guess the answer would be ‘not much’.

Maybe we all daydream or have other things on our minds. Maybe we don’t care. Maybe our daily routines are, well routine, such that we do not see the need to take in the scenery. Despite the advice to be on the lookout for ‘suspicious behaviour’ in this post 9/11 era most of us don’t really put in much effort.

Of course if you have terrorist intent you want to merge into the background. There is little advantage to announcing your presence/plans in advance after all. The closer you can get to your target without being detected the better.

Today’s featured attack is a good example of what I call a Monty Pythonean method of ‘trying hard not to be seen’.

On this day in 2011

32 soldiers were killed and more than 40 injured in a suicide attack on a military base in the northwestern part of Pakistan where security forces are currently engaged in an anti-Taliban operation.

The bomb was detonated by a teenaged suicide bomber who entered the fortified complex of the Punjab Regiment Centre dressed in the uniform of a nearby school. The attack took place at 8:15 AM while recruits were participating in their morning drill.

He wanted to sacrifice his life for Islam: we accepted his offer and told him to target his fellow soldiers in Mardan.

Taliban spokesperson

I would submit that someone dressed in a school uniform would not raise suspicions, no matter how many ‘see it say it’ posters had been plastered about. Such is the element of surprise.

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