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11/2/2015
Eradicating suicide terrorism in Pakistan Chicago Tribune
News / Opinion / Commentary
Commentary: Eradicating suicide terrorism in Pakistan By Robert Pape
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Curbing suicide terrorism in Pakistan
OCTOBER 30, 2015, 7:36 PM
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creams and cries of pain drowned out religious chants in Pakistan on Oct. 23 after a suicide bomber detonated his deadly payload in the middle of a procession of Shiites. But beneath
the horror of yet another seemingly indiscriminate suicide bombing lies a more terrifying truth. This attack was far from random, and if the pattern holds true, there is not much time left to prevent the next tragedy. The terrorists behind the bombing in the Pakistani city of Jacobabad picked the religiously significant date of the ninth day of Muharram with great care. Shiites spend the Islamic month of Muharram mourning the murder of Imam Hussein, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, more than 1,300 years ago. Ashoura is the most important day of the religious commemoration of the martyrdom of Hussein, and once again this year the eve of the holy day turned into a bloodbath for Pakistan's Shiites. Now the clock is ticking. Data from over a decade of attacks show that terrorists in Pakistan target Shiites on their sacred days, and authorities must work quickly to prevent another catastrophe in the nearly 40 days until the holiday of Arbaeen, or Chehlum, as it is known in Pakistan. Without decisive action, and a willingness to address the root causes of these terrorist attacks, there is little hope to escape the cycle of violence. Attacks on Shiites have occurred within three days of Ashoura for eight of the last 12 years. Terrorists also have struck during the 40day mourning period between Ashoura and Chehlum. Article continues below
The consistent and targeted nature of the attacks is chilling. They have almost always targeted outdoor religious processions, nearly all killed 10 or substantially more people, and the attacks usually come in the form of one or more suicide bombers. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/commentary/ctterrorismpakistansuicidemuharramshiitesunniperspec1101jm20151030story.html
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11/2/2015
Eradicating suicide terrorism in Pakistan Chicago Tribune
Terrorists' targets Why does Pakistan reveal such a consistent pattern of terrorist targeting? One reason is its mix of religious and ethnic communities, in which Sunnis form a majority but exist sidebyside with large Shiite communities. While these diverse communities are not explosive in their own right, antiShiite groups can capitalize on tensions and attempt to incite sectarian conflict. The emergence of such groups and by extension the trend of spectacular terrorist attacks on Ashoura are the result of interrelated factors from over a decade ago. The proliferation of radical Sunni madrassas in the 1980s and 1990s created an atmosphere for sectarian terrorism to come into being. Thus was born LashkareJhangvi, a Sunni supremacist organization dedicated to the extermination of Shiites. Among other abhorrent statements, LashkareJhangvi has decreed, "All Shiites are worthy of killing. We will rid Pakistan of unclean people. Pakistan means land of the pure and the Shiites have no right to live in this country." Aside from homegrown extremists, Pakistan also has suffered from its proximity to the hornet's nest of terrorism in Afghanistan. After the fall of the Afghan Taliban in 2001, many militants, including Osama bin Laden, escaped into loosely governed northwest Pakistan. The Federally Administered Tribal Areas had served as a training ground for many ethnically Pashtun fighters, and those areas would now serve as refuge for extremists. The Taliban and group leaders displaced by the U.S. invasion have found an enthusiastic community of fellow militants and a convenient base of operations. Indeed, the influx of militants from Afghanistan served as a catalyst that revitalized LashkareJhangvi. Together they have focused on cities with large Pashtun refugee populations in an effort to drive out Shiites. The downfall of the Afghan Taliban in the early 2000s also fostered collaboration with Pashtuns in Pakistan who were angry with Western interference. Hence, extremist elements in Pakistan were empowered and strengthened by the arrival of militants from Afghanistan. The Chicago Project on Security and Terrorism's suicide attack database records that from 2003 to September 2015, LashkareJhangvi has been responsible for 19 confirmed suicide attacks, a majority of which were against Shiite targets. In imminent danger It is in this hostile environment that Pakistan's Shiites find themselves, and for the next several weeks, they will be in imminent danger. The majority of attacks against them from the beginning of Muharram to Chehlum target religious processions, but also Shiite prayer halls. The holiday http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/commentary/ctterrorismpakistansuicidemuharramshiitesunniperspec1101jm20151030story.html
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Eradicating suicide terrorism in Pakistan Chicago Tribune
attacks make an effective statement on both symbolic and tangible levels. Shiite processions and gatherings at prayer halls are an ideal target for terrorists as they are highly attended and spatially concentrated. In cities, processions gather crowds of thousands or tens of thousands out in the streets, allowing for more death and destruction with less effort for anti Shiite groups like LashkareJhangvi. Since there are simply so many people moving in a scheduled, organized manner, attackers can plan more easily and successfully kill or injure many individuals. Few other opportunities exist for LashkareJhangvi to target such high numbers of Shiites. Taking precautions In recent years, the Pakistani government has recognized the vulnerability of crowds during processions and has taken steps to increase security measures. For example, officials deploy extra policemen, position snipers at key locations and seal off parts of a city to accommodate the processions. This year, authorities even suspended cellphone transmissions in much of the country on Friday and Saturday. In the short term, increased mobilization of police from Muharram through Chehlum is necessary to prevent repeat occurrences, as are intensive investigations and proper court trials. The Pakistani government and military must also take firm steps to eradicate all terrorist groups from its soil. On a wider timeline, however, Pakistan must ensure that the country's children are not taught prejudice and hatred in public or private schools. It is easier to prevent the creation of terrorists than to catch them before they detonate bombs. Forty days after Ashoura, on Dec. 3 (give or take a day), Pakistan's Shiites will gather to commemorate Chehlum. If the right measures are taken, there is no reason for the commemoration of an ancient tragedy to give birth to a modern one. Robert Pape is a professor of political science and the director of the Chicago Project on Security and Terrorism at the University of Chicago. His most recent book is "Cutting the Fuse: The Explosion of Global Suicide Terrorism and How to Stop it."
Copyright © 2015, Chicago Tribune
This article is related to: Pakistan, Asia, Terrorism, Taliban, Opinion, Commentary
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