Iraqi woman had 80 women raped then recruited as suicide bombers

From correspondents in Baghdad

Agence France-Presse

February 04, 2009 09:15am

Woman used rape to recruit bombers

An Iraqi woman has confessed to organising the rape of 80 women so she could recruit them as suicide...
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'Mum' had 80 women raped for suicide mission

Mastermind ... Samira Ahmed Jassim confessed to organising the rape of 80 women so she could recruit them as suicide bombers / AP

   * Rape of 80 women arranged
   * Used rape to recruit them as suicide bombers
   * Female suicide attacks increasing

A WOMAN suspected of recruiting more than 80 female suicide bombers has confessed to organising their rapes so she could later convince them that martyrdom was the only way to escape the shame.

Samira Jassam, 51, was arrested by Iraqi police and confessed to recruiting the women and orchestrating dozens of attacks.

In a video confession, she explained how she had mentally prepared the women for martyrdom operations, passed them on to terrorists who provided explosives, and then took the bombers to their targets.

"We arrested Samira Jassim, known as 'Um al-Mumenin', the mother of the believers, who was responsible for recruiting 80 women'', Major General Qassim Atta said.

"She confessed her responsibility for these actions, and she confirmed that 28 attempts had been made in one of the terrorists' strongholds,'' he said.

Samira Jassim was arrested on January 21. She is allegedly linked to the Ansar al-Sunnah insurgent group.
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Two of the attacks for which Samira Jassim admitted responsibility in the video confession took place in Diyala province, in central Iraq, which is considered one of the most dangerous areas of the country.

The Associated Press reports US military figures indicate at least 36 female suicide bombers attempted or carried out 32 attacks last year. Women are often allowed through military checkpoints without being searched, making it easier for them to hide explosives under their traditional robes.

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574,25006101-401,00.html