Who Are the Suicide Bombers?
The Washington Post reports on the proliferation of Islamic militant websites that track suicide bombers. It finds that the suicide bombers are by and large foreigners....and Saudi.
Who are the suicide bombers of Iraq? By the radicals' account, they are an internationalist brigade of Arabs, with the largest share in the online lists from Saudi Arabia and a significant minority from other countries on Iraq's borders, such as Syria and Kuwait. The roster of the dead on just one extremist Web site reviewed by The Washington Post runs to nearly 250 names....
The Saudi Government says the numbers are inflated. Counterterrorism experts don't believe that's true.
Evan F. Kohlmann, a researcher who monitors Islamic extremist Web sites, has compiled a list of more than 235 names of Iraqi dead gleaned from the Internet since last summer, with more than 50 percent on his tally from Saudi Arabia as well.
Some of the Web postings also include phone numbers so fellow Islamists can call a dead fighter's family and congratulate them. Kohlmann called several of the numbers. "I have lists and lists of foreign fighters, and it's no joke. Their sons went and blew themselves up in Iraq," he said.
One thing seems clear - the websites are being used to lure suicide bombers. Crooks and Liars has a Frontline video that explains more.
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