Suicide bombings 'almost unstoppable'

Many have argued that suicide bombers are crazy. They are not crazy. They are evil. From news.com.au:

AN Australian sociologist who has compiled a comprehensive database of suicide attacks claims bombers "are not mad" and there appears to be no set demographics for potential attackers.

Suicide attacks are usually carried out by young and vengeful men, who are completely sane, sociologist Professor Riaz Hassan says.

Prof Hassan has analysed every suicide attack in the world since 1981, seeking to explain the reasons behind the actions.

He found there were more than 1,200 suicide attacks since 1981 killing at least 5,766 people.

Iraq topped the list with 651 attacks occurring in the war-torn nation.

This was three times as many as Israel/Palestin[ians] with 217 incidents, followed by Sri Lanka (93) and Lebanon (48).

Prof Hassan, from South Australia's Flinders University, said after analysing the data, there appeared to be no set demographics for potential bombers.

The majority were young men, but their driving factors were widely varied, from personal motivations to societal conditions to being directed by others.

The study clearly refuted a common belief that suicide bombers were insane or mentally unbalanced, Prof Hassan said.

"It largely discredits explanations that (they) ... are acts of abhorrent violence, perpetrated by the psychologically impaired, morally deficient, bizarre, sick and crazy," he said.

"Suicide bombers are not mad."

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