JEZZINE, LEBANON – They say there is nothing new under the sun: well, it turns out that is not true when it comes to terrorism.
I’d bet that we collectively have a common image of a terrorist. I would wager that the picture for most of us is of a young person with a wild glare or stare, kitted out with a bomb or a gun, and probably bearded. That last addition implies that the ‘typical’ terrorist is male.
And, I am fairly sure that is true: the vast majority of terrorists are men. Why? I dunno. It is not as if women aren’t equally angry about the kinds of things that lead extremists to use violence to ‘fix’.
But there are female terrorists and there are women who make the ultimate sacrifice and become suicide bombers. Furthermore, it appears to have all started on a spring Tuesday in southern Lebanon 37 years ago.
On this day in 1985
Sana’a Mehaidli blew herself and a Peugeot filled with explosives up next to an Israeli convoy in Jezzine during Israel’s occupation of South Lebanon, killing two and wounding a dozen. She is believed to have been the very first female suicide terrorist.
Perhaps it’s simply easier not to acknowledge that women might strongly hold extremist beliefs, and be willing to engage in terrorist action…
Anonymous blogger at ‘Feminist Philosophers’
We have seen a lot of talk about equality among the sexes. It turns out this applies to terrorism too.
Read More Today in Terrorism
May 31, 1906: Spanish anarchist bombs royal wedding
On May 31, 1906 a Spanish anarchist threw a bomb hoping to hit King Alfonso XIII, killing 24 and wounding more than 100.
May 30, 2009: Anti-government group bombs TV station in Ecuador
On May 30, 2009 two pamphlet-bombs exploded outside an Ecuadorian TV station and ministry: no victims or significant damage ensued.
May 29, 2016: ISIS uses chlorine gas in terrorist attack
On May 29, 2016 35 civilians were wounded in an ISIS attack using rockets containing chlorine gas in Iraq’s Nineveh Province.
