2006-02-09—Suicide bombings |
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HAIFA
—A
University of "The
networks are based on family and social ties," Pedahzur and Perliger
stated. "Many who join these
networks never belonged to any organization." "In
a large percentage of the cases, they continued, "the use of suicide
attacks was intended to help the network in its struggle for political power and
control in the region where it operated in competition with other families or
networks." Another
important finding by the The
terrorists join up from the immediate environment of the network only for the
purpose of a suicide attack, according to the researchers.
They reason, they claim, is that the more marginal the figure is in the
network, his (or her) "disappearance" will do less to harm the unity
and ability of the organization to continue to act. Pedahzur
and Perliger made use of a research technique known as social networks analysis
to arrive at their conclusions. This
method, they believe, "can help significantly in coping with suicide
bombings. It enables identification
of the central figures in a network that essentially exists only to continue
existing." It locates the
other background factors involved in the creation of that network, they
explained. A.M.
Goldstein is the English language editor for the University of Haifa's Department
of External Affairs. |