The Path to Paradise: The Inner World of Suicide Bombers and Their Dispatchers

by Anat Berko

***Named Among the Top 50 Books on Terrorism and Counterterrorism, Perspectives on Terrorism www.terrorismanalysts.com, Volume II, Issue 11***Suicide bombers are often compared to smart bombs. From their dispatchers’ point of view, they are highly effective, inexpensive weapons, and there is no need to invest in their technological development. Suicide bombers are in fact smarter than smart bombs because they can choose their own targets and can react to circumstances on the ground, changing their target or their timing in an instant to ensure the maximum damage, destruction, and death. Of course, unlike smart bombs, suicide bombers think and feel. They have histories, stories, beliefs, and desires. In short, they have an inner world. Exploring the inner world of suicide bombers has been the focus of Anat Berko’s research for years. What are their thought processes? Do male bombers really believe that death will transport them to a paradise inhabited by virgins? What are female bombers promised in the hereafter? Berko also explores the world of those who “drop the smart bomb”― the dispatchers. Who are the people who persuade others to go calmly to their horrific deaths?To learn about the inner world of suicide bombers and their dispatchers, Berko entered Israel’s most heavily secured prison cells and conducted intensive and extensive interviews with male and female suicide bombers who had failed their missions, as well as with their dispatchers―including former Hamas spiritual and operative leader Sheikh Ahmed Yassin (later assassinated by Israeli Defense Forces). With a foreword by Moshe Addad.

196 pages, Paperback

First published April 30, 2007

Reviews

[Greg · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a well written book. It has a tremendous amount of detail in relation to the decision making process and family backgrounds of both suicide bombers and their dispatchers. The author was granted unprecedented access to these prisoners.

The information contained however, really wasn't all that useful for me as a police officer and trainer. I was hoping for more insights about how to identify and stop a suicide bomber. I didn't find much information on those topics.

[Karu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good reading. Recommend to everyone who is interested in suicide terrorism/martyrdom operations. I think it is very important to interview people who wanted to become suicide bombers and we are lucky that Anat Berko has shared it with us, so we can see or try to understand what they are thinking and what their motives might be.

[Foxglove · Rating 5 out of 5]

A depressing but fascinating look into suicide bombers who didn't succeed. Why do they want death?