Publication

This brief examines the increase in the number of female suicide bombers linked to al-Qaida. The author explains this number has been rising for several reasons, and despite the fact that the status of women in radical Islamist ideology is not conducive for active participation in the global jihad. These reasons include a shortage of manpower on the part of al-Qaida, the effectiveness of female suicide attacks and the fact that most female bombers operate from a sense of personal revenge.