450 of 452 suicide attacks in 2015 were by Muslim extremists, study shows

[Lando Lincoln]

450 of 452 suicide attacks in 2015 were by Muslim extremists, study shows
BY AVI ISSACHAROFF
Times of Israel
January 8, 2016, 11:13 am

INSS think tank report shows global figure is down on 2014, but up on 2013; more women involved; Europe and Africa getting dragged in

There were fewer suicide attacks worldwide in 2015 than 2014, “only” 452 as compared with 592, according to a new report by an Israeli research team.

But drawing conclusions from a mere comparison of the overall figures is “not smart,” cautions Yoram Schweitzer, the head of the Program on Terrorism and Low Intensity Conflict at Tel Aviv University’s Institute for National Security Studies. For one thing, the 2014 figure was strikingly high (2013 saw a markedly lower 382 suicide attacks), so nobody should start feeling encouraged. For another, Schweitzer and his team — project coordinator Daria Schitrit and team members Smadar Shaul and Einav Yogev — employ a sophisticated methodology to keep track of suicide terrorism statistics that goes well beyond simple totals.

And so, before we get to the conclusions of his latest report, some methodology and context.

As he explained this week to The Times of Israel, “We do not count every claim of a suicide attack. In other words, it’s not enough if Islamic State claims a certain number of suicide attacks. Quite a few groups like to claim that they carried out suicide attacks to make themselves look more important and powerful. We always rely on at least two sources to determine that a suicide attack really did take place. Even then, every determination we make is always qualified because we can never be exact about the percentages, and certainly not in places like Syria.

“Then we come to another issue,” Schweitzer elaborated: “Which terror attacks we define as suicide attacks and which we do not. My own definition includes all terror attacks that were perpetrated by a suicide bomber who carried explosive material on his person or on a mobile platform. They are planted inside or sent to the targets, and their certain deaths define them as suicides. In other words, the definition does not include ‘sacrifice’ attacks of various kinds, or people wielding knives or scissors.”

Rest of Article---> http://www.timesofisrael.com/450-of-452-suicide-attacks-in-2015-were-by-muslim-extremists-study-shows/

[Lando Lincoln]

From the article:

Of course, we cannot avoid mentioning the religious element as the most significant factor that motivates the suicide terrorists throughout the world. Here’s the most dramatic statistic: 450 of 452 suicide terror attacks in 2015 were perpetrated by Muslim extremists. One of the remaining two attacks was carried out by the Kurdish underground. The other was perpetrated by a woman supporter of a leftist group in Turkey.

[Scottftlc]

Ah, yes, but we paint Islam with too broad a brush, we are told.