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Iraq Boosts Suicide Bomber Payment
yahoo ^ | april 3 2002 | By MOHAMMED DARAGHMEH, Associated Press Writer

Posted on 04/03/2002 11:01:46 AM PST by dennisw


http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=514&ncid=
716&e=2&u=/ap/20020403/ap_on_re_mi_ea/palestinians_bomber_money_3


Iraq Boosts Suicide Bomber Payment

Wed Apr 3, 2:02 PM ET

By MOHAMMED DARAGHMEH, Associated Press Writer

Saddam Hussein (news - web sites) has increased money for the relatives of suicide bombers from $10,000 to $25,000, drawing sharp criticism from Washington. But Palestinians say the bombers are driven by a priceless thirst for revenge, religious zeal and dreams of glory — not greed.

 

Photos

AP Photo
Since Iraq upped its payments last month, 12 suicide bombers have successfully struck inside Israel, including one man who killed 25 Israelis, many of them elderly, as they sat down to a meal at a hotel to celebrate the Jewish holiday of Passover. The families of three suicide bombers said they have recently received payments of $25,000.

The devout Muslims among the bombers, a majority, believe they will go to heaven as martyrs and spend eternity in the company of 72 virgins. In grainy farewell home videos, they often read passages from the Muslim holy book, the Quran, and praise God. Secular attackers know that after the deed, their families will win the adulation of friends, neighbors and strangers.

The other motive seems to be a strong yearning for revenge. Relatives of many of the bombers recall how many of the young men's formative years were spent in Israeli jails. The mother of one bomber said her son once watched Israeli soldiers beating his father.

Mahmoud Safi, leader of a pro-Iraqi Palestinian group, the Arab Liberation Front, acknowledged that the support payments for relatives make it easier for some potential bombers to make up their minds. "Some people stop me on the street, saying if you increase the payment to $50,000 I'll do it immediately," Safi said. He also suggested such remarks were made mostly in jest.

Saddam has said the Palestinians need weapons and money instead of peace proposals and has provided payments throughout a year and a half of Israeli-Palestinian battles. "I saw on Iraqi TV President Saddam saying he will continue supporting the (uprising) even if it means selling his own clothes," said Safi.

Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said Saddam's payments inspire a "culture of political murder."

"Here is an individual who is the head of a country, Iraq, who has proudly, publicly made a decision to go out and actively promote and finance human sacrifice for families that will have their youngsters kill innocent men, women and children," Rumsfeld said Wednesday.

But Saddam is not the only one giving money. Charities from Saudi Arabia and Qatar — both U.S. allies — pay money to families of Palestinians killed in the fighting, including suicide bombers.

The mother of Jamal Nasser, a 23-year-old architecture student who died trying to ram an explosives-laden car into a bus carrying Jewish settlers, said she received a check for $10,000 from Iraq and another for $5,000 from Saudi Arabia. She said she plans to put the money toward buying an apartment. She wants to move her family from the small place they've been renting for more than 20 years. The money she received is about half the cost of a small apartment in Nablus.

Fifty-five Palestinians have blown themselves up in attacks on Israeli civilians in the past 18 months of fighting.

Under the new Iraqi payscale, decided on March 12 during an Arab conference in Baghdad, the families of gunmen and others who die fighting the Israelis will still receive $10,000, while the relatives of suicide bombers will get $25,000.

Safi and two others from the Arab Liberation Front visit families in the northern West Bank and make the payments. "We go to every family and give them a check," he said. "We tell them that this is a gift from President Saddam and Iraq."

 

More from > Top Stories
Prev. Story: Israeli Tanks Enter Nablus
Wed Apr 3, 2:18 PM ET - (AP)
Next Story: Alleged Al-Qaida Figure Pleads Guilty
Wed Apr 3, 1:53 PM ET - (AP

 



TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Israel
KEYWORDS: bomber; iraq; palestinian; payment; suicide

1 posted on 04/03/2002 11:01:47 AM PST by dennisw
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To: monkeyshine; ipaq2000; Lent; veronica; Sabramerican; beowolf; Nachum; BenF; angelo...
PING!!!
2 posted on 04/03/2002 11:02:35 AM PST by dennisw
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To: dennisw
They already did pay 25.000 dollar for a few weeks now. I heard they pay 30.000 dollar now!

Also Kuwait and Saudi Arabia step in with free education and a free trip to the haji.

3 posted on 04/03/2002 11:06:17 AM PST by knighthawk
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To: dennisw
How much more evidence do we need to take SoDamm Insane and Arafat out?

Remember what you said, President Bush: "those who support terrorism are just as bad as the terrorists"!

4 posted on 04/03/2002 11:07:01 AM PST by mattdono
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To: knighthawk
They already did pay 25.000 dollar for a few weeks now. I heard they pay 30.000 dollar now!

_________________________________

I hear inflation is terrible over in PaliLand!

5 posted on 04/03/2002 11:09:41 AM PST by dennisw
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To: dennisw
Sick puppies. And to think our men die strictly for duty in some cold desolate high plateau fighting to protect us....all on a paltry serviceman's wages.

That is why we must and will prevail...as must Israel.

6 posted on 04/03/2002 11:10:49 AM PST by wardaddy
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To: dennisw
Yes, with 65% of them unemployed!
7 posted on 04/03/2002 11:11:09 AM PST by knighthawk
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To: dennisw
Now we need to follow the money trail. Our struggle is against terrorists and those who support them. If Saddam Hussein is giving money to the families then we now have the link we need. Forward Ho!
8 posted on 04/03/2002 11:13:34 AM PST by jadimov
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To: dennisw
Speaking purely as a trader, if they're paying more for something, perhaps that means recruitment is getting more difficult.
9 posted on 04/03/2002 11:18:26 AM PST by NativeNewYorker
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To: jadimov
And $5000 from the Saudis? The thread keeps unwinding and unwinding...
10 posted on 04/03/2002 11:19:42 AM PST by Dirk McQuickly
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To: dennisw
bump
11 posted on 04/03/2002 11:28:43 AM PST by VOA
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To: dennisw
Safi and two others from the Arab Liberation Front visit families in the northern West Bank and make the payments. "We go to every family and give them a check," he said. "We tell them that this is a gift from President Saddam and Iraq."

This is so repulsive! As Rumsfeld said, this a culture of political murder. Saddam "has proudly, publicly made a decision to go out and actively promote and finance human sacrifice for families that will have their youngsters kill innocent men, women and children."

12 posted on 04/03/2002 12:26:07 PM PST by Victoria Delsoul
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To: knighthawk
They already did pay 25.000 dollar for a few weeks now. I heard they pay 30.000 dollar now!

Also Kuwait and Saudi Arabia step in with free education and a free trip to the haji.

The suicide bombers obviously have a strong union.

13 posted on 04/03/2002 12:28:58 PM PST by PBRSTREETGANG
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To: dennisw
I hear inflation is terrible over in PaliLand!

No, it is simple supply and demand. In truth, there aren't that many people they can convince to kill oneself in this manner ... and the supply is rapidly getting smaller. That is why they are starting to brainwash women and 16 year old girls ... to keep the price they have to pay out down.

14 posted on 04/03/2002 12:34:44 PM PST by BeAChooser
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To: PBRSTREETGANG
What did you suspect: pay increase or we will strike (boom).
15 posted on 04/03/2002 1:44:04 PM PST by knighthawk
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To: knighthawk
Well... what comes to mind?

All the best people get burnt out...

Burning the candle at all ends...

Burning the midnight c4...

Feel free to add your own.

16 posted on 04/03/2002 2:11:32 PM PST by besieged
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