Page 38 - Encyclopedia Of Terrorism

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On March 30, 2002, 16-year-old Ayat A-Akhras, a
AL AQSA MARTYRS BRIGADES Palestinian teenager and member of the Al Aqsa
Martyrs Brigades, blew herself up in a suburban Jeru-
salem supermarket, killing herself and two Israelis.
A coalition of Palestinian West Bank militias
Another 22 people were wounded. The group called
that became increasingly violent during 2002, the
the Associated Press to claim responsibility. In a prere-
Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades are known for committing
corded video broadcast on Arab television, Akhras said
deadly suicide bombing attacks against Israel.
she was sacrificing herself for al-Aqsa mosque. She is
Unlike Hamas and other Palestinian groups that use
said to be just the third Palestinian woman suicide
suicide-bombing tactics, the brigades’ ideology is
bomber.
reportedly based on Palestinian nationalism rather
than Muslim fundamentalism. See also AL FATAH; YASIR ARAFAT; HAMAS; PALESTINE
The group’s name refers to al-Aqsa mosque, which LIBERATION ORGANIZATION
is located at the top of the Jerusalem holy site known
as the Noble Sanctuary by Muslims and as the Temple Further Reading
Mount by Jews. Muslims revere the site as the place
BBC. “Profile: Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigade.” BBC News,
where the prophet Muhammad ascended to heaven March 5, 2002, http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/
and Jews revere it as the site of the Second Temple middle_east/newsid_1760000/1760492.stm.
destroyed by the Romans. The Al Aqsa Martyrs Gaza, Hala Jaber. “Inside the World of the Palestinian
Brigades were formed (in the West Bank refugee camp Suicide Bomber.” Sunday Times (London), March 24,
of Balata, near Nablus) shortly after Israeli prime 2002.
minister Ariel Sharon and a large police contingent McAllester, Matthew. “A Potent, Deadly Militia.” Newsday
visited the compound where the mosque is located (New York), March 10, 2002.
in September 2000. Later that fall, the brigades were Wilkinson, Tracy. “‘Martyrs’Leading War on Israel; Mideast:
Brigade Linked to Arafat Has Recently Waged More
formed in Balata, a West Bank refugee camp near
Attacks Than Islamic Extremist Groups.” Los Angeles
Nablus. Seven young Palestinians who are said to have
Times, March 8, 2002.
grown up together in the Fatah youth movement devel-
Williams, Daniel. “A Magnet for Palestinian ‘Martyrs’;
oped the group.
Al-Aqsa Brigades Lead New Wave of Attacks on Israeli
The brigade is affiliated with Palestinian leader Yasir Civilians.” Washington Post, March 7, 2002.
Arafat’s Fatah party. The extent of Arafat’s involvement
with the group is highly contested. He has publicly con-
demned the group’s suicide bombings, but press reports AL ’ASIFA
have quoted brigade leaders who claim that Arafat
gives their orders.
Al Aqsa began with drive-by shootings and suicide Palestinian leader Yasir Arafat gave the name
bombings, and then started targeting Israeli road- Al ’Asifa, or “The Storm” to the military wing of his
blocks and settlers in the West Bank. At first, the Fatah movement at its founding in 1957. In the early
group did not carry out attacks outside of the West days of Al Fatah, Arafat signed communiqués and
Bank. leaflets calling for “armed revolution” with the name
In August 2001, leader and cofounder Yasser Al ’Asifa.
Badawi was killed by a car bomb. After his death, the Calling for an armed struggle for Palestine carried
brigades began attacking civilians inside Israel. The out by Palestinians themselves, Al Fatah launched its
attacks escalated, and on January 17, 2002, an Al Aqsa first raid into Israel in 1965, claiming responsibility
member killed six at a bat mitzvah in Hadera, Israel. under the name Al ’Asifa.
On March 21, 2002, a suicide bomber killed three As Al Fatah emerged further from the underground
people and injured more than 20 in West Jerusalem. and gained leadership of the Palestine Liberation
The Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades claimed responsibility Organization, the group gradually stopped making
for that attack. After the West Jerusalem bombing, the distinctions between Al Fatah and Al ’Asifa. Some
U.S. State Department added the brigades to the U.S. Arafat biographers have claimed that Al ’Asifa was
list of foreign terrorist organizations. merely the cover name that Al Fatah used to launch its