PRT DIYALA: INCREASE IN FEMALE SUICIDE BOMBERS

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 002126

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/08/2018
TAGS: POL PREL ECON PTER PINS PINR IZ
SUBJECT: PRT DIYALA: INCREASE IN FEMALE SUICIDE BOMBERS
PROMPTS NEW SECURITY MEASURES

REF: BAGHDAD 2048

Classified By: PRT Team Leader George White for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
.


1. (U) This is a PRT Diyala reporting cable.

Summary
--------------


2. (S) The marked increase in the frequency of female
suicide bomber attacks in Diyala province in June and July
has prompted the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) and Coalition
Forces (CF) to redouble efforts to identify potential bombers
and uncover recruiting methods implemented by insurgent
groups. Previous to June and July, attacks by women bombers
usually occurred every 19 -21 days. With the latest
increase, there have been attacks on average every seven to
14 days. The ISF, with CF backing, is preparing to launch
awareness campaigns to dissuade women from participating in
these attacks. CF have disseminated additional hotlines for
those areas with cell coverage in order to provide a conduit
for people to report suspicious activity and have taken
measures to assist the ISF in doing the same. End Summary.


3. (C) The increasing trend of women suicide bombers in
Diyala province in June and early July has prompted the Iraqi
Security Forces (ISF),with CF assistance, to create new
measures intended to reduce the frequency of attacks. The
most deadly attack occurred June 22 in the provincial capital
Baqubah and killed 16 people and wounded more than 40. The
attacker, who was caught on video, detonated her explosive
device while standing in the road in front of the Governance
Center and the Diyala Appeals Court.


4. (S) Of the 20 attacks in Diyala since February 2007, the
ISF have been only able to identify the woman attacker in the
June 22 incident. According to Diyala Operations Center
(DOC) spokesman COL Ragheb Al Omairi, her name was Wansa
Mutliq Ali Al Musami. The ISF believe that her brother
killed himself by detonating his own suicide vest while
attempting to escape Coalition Forces (CF).


5. (S) Currently, the ISF are attempting to locate another
Al Musami sister whom they believe was also preparing herself
for a suicide attack in early June. COL Ragheb says the
sister is believed to be part of a cell of at least six other
women located in the city of Buhriz, which is considered to
be a perennial stronghold of Al Qaeda in Iraq (AQI). This is
one of two families the ISF have identified in which sisters
are perpetrating suicide vest (SVEST) attacks. They are
currently looking for a woman named Khalida Shukr Mahdi who
has two sisters who are believed to have carried out suicide
attacks.


6. (S) The Provincial Director of Police, GEN Ghanem Al
Quraishi, told us that one woman turned herself into the
Iraqi Police (IP) instead of carrying out a suicide bombing
in Diyala in late June. According to Ghanem, she was held in
a safe house for a short period of time, but later returned
to work. She is currently working as a nurse at Baqubah
General Hospital. The PRT and partner regiment have
requested an interview with the woman to better understand
the recruiting process. The IP is considering the request.


7. (S) ISF contacts have told us that women who have lost a
brother or husband killed while fighting CF and/or ISF are
most vulnerable to recruitment. It is thought that AQI
targets these individuals immediately following the death of
a male relative while they are most susceptible. The ISF
believe women attackers are given just two to three weeks of
training, unlike their male colleagues, who typically carry
out similar terrorist activities only after undergoing months
of extensive training.


8. (S) Orphaned children whose parents were killed while
carrying out attacks are also targeted for recruitment. COL
Ragheb has shown us a recruiting video for the "Children of
Paradise," which encourages orphaned children to take up arms
against ISF and CF in order to join their parents in
"Paradise." He says the Children of Paradise movement began
about a year ago and is believed to be the mastermind of an
Amir or Prince of AQI, Jaleel Ibrahim Hachim Al Mujamia, who
is based in Diyala. COL Ragheb says ISF has very little
information about the movement and is working to learn more
about this group.


9. (C) The ISF is developing an awareness campaign to try to
reduce the number of female suicide bombings in the province.
COL Ragheb says he hopes to establish a 24-hour hotline for
people to call in with information about potential attacks or
to ask for help if they are being targeted or recruited. He

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says they previously had a tip line established but it was
not successful.

Comment
--------------


10. (C) With CF assistance, the ISF have begun to address
the problem of the increased frequency of women suicide
bombers. This includes building ISF investigative capacity
to determine what drives women to become willing participants
and identifying potential recruits for suicide bombings.
However, this is a daunting set of challenges. The thousands
of widows, sisters, and children of deceased AQI members
comprise a vast and widely dispersed pool for the AQI to tap.
The economic hardship and poverty caused by the loss of the
male member(s) of their families appears to be a major factor
that makes these women susceptible to recruitment.
Ultimately, a campaign to reduce or eliminate suicide
bombings will require not only better detection procedures,
but also an information campaign and attention to alleviating
the underlying conditions that make women vulnerable to
recruitment. End Comment.
CROCKER