Page 373 - Encyclopedia Of Terrorism

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Sutherland, Thomas (1931– )———353

embraced suicide bombing as a method capable of Sutherland and his wife, Jean, moved to Beirut in
inflicting pain against the Israelis. A female unit was the summer of 1983 to work at the American Univer-
formed. Wafa Idriss, a divorced 26-year-old ambu- sity, then one of the most prestigious educational
lance worker from a Ramallah refugee camp, became institutions in the Middle East. Sutherland, who had
the first female suicide bomber, blowing herself up in taught animal sciences at Colorado University for
central Jerusalem in January 2002. Shortly thereafter, 26 years, signed a three-year contract as dean of faculty
Dareen Abu Ish, a student at Nablus University who for agriculture and food science; his wife was to teach
had been rejected by Hamas and joined the Al Aqsa English at the school. When the Sutherlands arrived to
brigades, detonated herself at a checkpoint near take up their posts, Western staff and professors at
Jerusalem. Ayat al-Akhras, an 18-year-old secretary American University were already becoming targets
and member of the brigades blew herself up in a super- of radical Shiite Muslim fundamentalists.
market in Kiryat Hayovel. The first of these targets was Malcolm Kerr, presi-
Young, educated males and females, individuals dent of American University; Kerr was assassinated
of economic means, and older individuals with on January 18, 1984. Professor Frank Reiger was
families are now suicide terrorists. Moreover, many abducted the following month. Concerned for his own
suicide terrorists do not appear to be solely moti- safety, but not intimidated, Sutherland remained at the
vated by a distorted religious belief in the value of university. More than a year later, on May 28, 1985,
martyrdom; politics may play a role in inspiring their radical Shiite gunmen seized David P. Jacobsen,
actions and they use their bodies accordingly. director of the American University hospital. Two
Experts fear that it is only a matter of time before the weeks later, two cars forced Sutherland’s limousine to
trend spreads to Western Europe and the United stop; he was abducted at gunpoint within minutes of
States. his return from the United States.
Sutherland believes his kidnapping was a case of
See also AL AQSA MARTYRS BRIGADES; OSAMA BIN LADEN;
mistaken identity, that the gunmen who seized him
EAST AFRICAN EMBASSY BOMBINGS; HAMAS; LIBERATION
TIGERS OF TAMIL EELAM; SEPTEMBER 11 ATTACKS; were actually seeking American University president
Calvin Plimpton, whose limousine Sutherland was
TERRORISM,DEFINITION AND HISTORY OF; U.S. EMBASSY
BOMBING,BEIRUT; U.S. MARINE BARRACKS BOMBING, using. Regardless, on June 9, 1985, Sutherland became
BEIRUT; U.S.S. COLE BOMBING the seventh American and the twelfth Western foreigner
to disappear in Lebanon.
Further Reading Sutherland spent much of his initial time as a
hostage in solitary confinement. His captors inter-
Kushner, Harvey W. “Suicide Bombers: Business as preted a flyer for a conference on basic Islam found
Usual.” Studies in Conflict & Terrorism, Vol. 19, 1996, in his briefcase as proof that Sutherland was a “spy.”
329-337. They interrogated him relentlessly. Finally, by the end
Kushner, Harvey W. Terrorism in America: A Structured of the summer, Sutherland was allowed to join the
Approach to Understanding the Terrorist Threat.
Springfield, IL: Charles C Thomas, 1998. other hostages: Jacobson, Terry Anderson, Rev.
Rapoport, David. “Fear and Trembling: Terrorism Three Benjamin Weir, and Father Lawrence Martin Jenco.
Religious Traditions.” American Political Science Sutherland was chained to the floor, like the others.
Review, Vol. 78, September 1984. Sutherland became extremely depressed, speaking of
Taheri, Amir. Holy Terror. Bethesda, MD: Adler & Adler, suffocating himself with a garbage bag. In late 1986,
1987. when he was moved to a tiny, solitary, underground
Wright, Robin. Sacred Rage. New York: Touchstone, 1986. cell Sutherland attempted suicide three times. He
spent the last portion of his 2,354 days of captivity
with Anderson.
SUTHERLAND, THOMAS (1931– ) Sutherland was freed on November 18, 1991, along
with Terry Waite, the Anglican envoy and hostage.
Their release, the first following the Iran-Contra arms-
Dr. Thomas Sutherland, a Scots-born American for-hostages debacle in the United States, marked the
professor, was held hostage for nearly six and a half beginning of the end of the Lebanon hostage crisis for
years during the hostage crisis in Lebanon. the United States. Within a month, Anderson, the last