Suicide Attacks Caused by Hostility, not by Psychological Disorder

How does a person become suicide bomber? How does he come to decide to slaughter tens, hundreds, thousands of people? How does a person convince himself/herself of destroying himself/herself?

Psychiatrist Ayşe Devrim Çıngı Başterzi from Mersin University Medical Faculty, Department of Psychiatry answered questions of bianet.

Başterzi saying "A psychological disorder or brainwash is beside the point here," states that suicide bomber perceives everyone he/she kills as enemy.

Başterzi reminding such attacks are referred as "suicide act" and "suicide bomber," said that "living bomb" expression causes a perception as human body were a military tool used in war: "However when we say suicide bomber then we mean 'a person can slaughter plenty of people though he knows he is going to die'."

"Suicide bomber perceives them all as enemy"

"A suicide bomber knows that he/she destroys plenty of people but perceive all these people as enemy. He thinks he is paving the way by destroying the enemy for those who he left behind. There might be some people who thinks heaven's gates are opened to them.

"According to studies, it is thought that being alienated within the organization or not being found heroic enough increases the possibility of giving the decision of becoming a suicide bomber.

"So it is a bad and a sick way to deal with trauma. It can be said that it is closely related to anger of oppressed. It also seems that the thought of gaining prestige and value at the end of this act is significant too."

Why more common in Middle East?

Başterzi stating that suicide act cannot be explained by brainwash.

"It is often said that they are given drugs but it is a rare case for a person on drugs to afford it. There is no state of sickness nor being misled, they do it with their faith in the legitimacy of the cause."

So what explains best why suicide acts are seen more common in the Middle East?

"This phenomenon is explained in relation to concepts such as martyrdom, shahada in that region. On the other hand, it is also said that this is more common among people who don't have much to lose. Especially the ones who witnessed massacres in their childhood go out for blooad to hurt the enemy at the cost of destroying themselves." (ÇT/TK)

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