Suicide Bombings II – Who to blame: faith or mental illness?

By Dr Muhammad Naim Siddiqi & Dr Abdul Wahab Yousafzai

TWO articles published in these pages (of the newspaper DAWN) made some observations about suicide bombers. In one Dr Pervez Hoodbhoy (March 9) argued that human rights activists and religious scholars are hesitant to condemn suicide bombing because of its association with Islam. He added, “As the mullah’s indoctrination gains strength, the power to reason weakens.”

He further said, “For them [Americans] it [operating lethal drones] is a way to defend their country. What is harder to understand is how the Pakistani suicide bomber can kill people who are so close to him in so many ways.”

Dr Amin Gadit (Feb 26) explained the phenomenon in these words: “A disturbed neurochemistry of the brain cannot be ruled out either, as a number of them are either depressed or have suffered from depression.”

The history of ‘homicide by suicide’ shows that ever since two Jewish revolutionary groups were associated with this sort of activity in the period 4 BC to 70 AD, suicide bombing has been used as a war strategy by the Germans, Japanese kamikazes, the Palestinians and the Sri Lankans. Since the first suicide bombing took place on Nov 6, 2002 in Pakistan, nearly 2,000 people have died as a result of this form of violence. Suicide bombings can only be understood in reference to the context of individual cases.

As psychiatrists we will restrict ourselves to a psychological examination of this phenomenon. In a word, what prompts suicide bombers to destroy themselves while killing others?

One explanation lies in group dynamics which is one of the most powerful elements in terms of shaping a person’s behaviour. It provides him strong motivation, a source of support, a sense of belonging, a unique lifestyle and gives meaning to life. Pushing groups against the wall increases their cohesiveness and reinforces their determination to survive. The greater the oppression, the more powerful is the resistance. As such, use of disproportionate force does not work as the IRA and Hezbollah have demonstrated.

Another factor to which this phenomenon may be attributed is the frustration-aggression hypothesis. This suggests that frustration develops when a person is prevented from achieving his goals or needs, giving rise to feelings of rage and hopelessness. This leads to the belief that there is ‘no other option’. Feelings of revenge take over, prompting a person to join a group that shares these sentiments.

There could be yet another factor at work, namely the behaviourist model that believes that we learn behaviour, sometimes by mere association and at other times by the consequences of our behaviour. Such behaviour is sustained by positive reinforcement in the form of widespread support, appreciation and religiously defined rewards in eternal life as well as the perceived glory of military victory. Widespread condemnation could, conversely, work to discourage such behaviour.

One cannot overlook the dichotomous style of thinking that characterises the approach of many people in our society. For them there are only two sides to a situation: right or wrong. The wrong must be eliminated. It has been argued that the mindset of suicide bombers is dichotomous. Their mental state is therefore pathological; i.e. they are mentally ill. But dichotomous thinking is apparent in many of our leaders as well. They are, however, not perceived to be mentally ill.

No one has looked into the mental state of suicide bombers prior to their death. If these bombers are suicidal secondary to depression, their depression must be of a severe nature. Can a person depressed to this degree attempt such precise, complicated and highly motivated manoeuvres and carry them out with utmost precision? We should differentiate between the patients who take their lives because they want to die and those who want to kill themselves to take other peoples’ lives.

There is hardly any evidence to suggest that these people suffer from depression. Are we not increasing the stigma of psychiatric patients by labelling suicide bombers as depressive?

What determines the behaviour of such groups’ members is the absence of individuality and moral considerations. Obeying the leader even when his commands are unjust, illogical and fatal for the person and lethal for others is a well-known process of group dynamics. It can happen in the name of religion, faith, unity of command, defence of the motherland or honour. We must condemn the act of suicide bombing in our context. Nevertheless, mere condemnation will not stop these acts.

Until we are willing to know what pushes a person this far, and are determined to relieve his grievances, such sad but brutal acts are likely to continue. Calling the suicide bomber mentally ill or only motivated by religion is perhaps an oversimplification and complicates matters. Unfortunately, we are constantly providing suicide bombers the required ‘ammunition’ with our firm and uncompromised commitment to the war against terror. We are increasing their belief that there is no alternative.

Black-and-white thinking not only explains the actions of those who kill themselves to kill others. It also manifests itself in the thinking of those who oppose them.

The writers are consultant psychiatrists.

naim.siddiqi@hotmail.com