Chechen Suicide Terrorists

Chechen suicide terrorism began in 2000 with the first suicide truck bomb driven by a female suicide terrorist. Since then there have been over twenty-seven acts of suicide terrorism attributed to over one hundred Chechen affiliated suicide terrorists. The most well known includes the Dubrovka theater takeover, the Beslan school hostage taking and the downing of two internal flights by suicide terrorists. In each case Chechen affiliated suicide terrorists have been implicated and females have been prominently involved since the start making up nearly half their ranks.

The armed conflicts in Chechnya began following the declaration of independence by the Chechen republic in 1991. There have been two recent wars on Chechen territory, the first in 1994-1996, the second beginning in 1999. The demographic and material losses due to nearly half the population having been killed or fled the country during the past decade as well as the decimation of the local economy, bombed houses, terrifying counter-terrorism operations and continued conflicts make life currently very difficult for the local population.

The Chechen declaration of independence set up at first a completely secular state, however over time during the two wars with Russia and with continued armed conflict foreign money has poured in from outsiders who promulgated a jihadist ideology. These outsiders gave money to set up militant mosques, made training materials, helped form militant terrorist training camps and through these activities imported the tactic of suicide terrorism which was not indigenous to Chechen culture. Likewise new nontraditional modes of dress and codes of modesty, militant fundamentalism, denial of the local customs of the veneration of “saints” etc. were imported over the past decade significantly changing pockets of Chechen society and created internal conflicts within the previous post-Soviet society.

Currently there is not a cult of martyrdom in Chechnya as is present in the Palestinian territories but some markers of a transition in society are presently observable with martyrs’ videos having been prepared and distributed to Al Jazeera network prior to the Dubrovka takeover and a song to the first female suicide bomber now popularized among many of the youth in Chechnya. Posters of martyrs still do not exist and popular support for suicide terrorism is not present. However we may see a transition in society as was witnessed between the first and second intifada in Palestinian culture. Likewise there is concern within Russia that money from militant fundamentalists outside the republic fuels the conflict on a religious basis and the militant jihadist influence is spreading beyond the Chechen borders into the surrounding regions and that terrorist activities may spread throughout the region.

Dr. Speckhard and her research associates have interviewed surviving hostages from the Moscow Dubrovka Theater and Beslan school takeover, family members and close associates of Chechen suicide terrorists as well as community members. They have also studied the developing pattern of Chechen terrorist activities and suicide terrorism events. Their current articles are listed below.

Publications:

Speckhard, Anne & Akhmedova, Khapta Black Widows: The Chechen Female Suicide Terrorists, in Yoram Schweitzer ed. Female Suicide Terrorists Jaffe Center Publication, Tel Aviv, Israel, 2005.

Speckhard, Anne & Akhmedova, Khapta “Talking to Terrorists” Journal of Psychohistory, Fall (2005)

Speckhard, Anne & Akhmedova, Khapta The Making of a Martyr: Chechen Suicide Terrorism

Speckhard, Anne. “Understanding Suicide Terrorism: Countering Human Bombs and Their Senders” in Topics in Terrorism: Toward a Transatlantic Consensus on the Nature of the Threat" (Volume I) Eds. Jason S. Purcell & Joshua D. Weintraub Atlantic Council Publication 2005.

Speckhard, A., Tarabrina, N; Krasnov, V. & Mufel, N. “Stockholm Effects and Psychological Responses to Captivity in Hostages Held by Suicidal Terrorists” Traumatology: Vol. 11, Issue 2. 2005.

Anne Speckhard & Khapta Akhmedova, “Mechanisms of Generating Suicide Terrorism: Trauma and Bereavement as Psychological Vulnerabilities in Human Security – The Chechen Case”, in Jill Donnelly Ed. NATO Science Series, 2004.

Anne Speckhard, Nadejda Tarabrina, Valery Krasnov & Khapta Akhmedova, Research Note: Observations of Suicidal Terrorists in Action: The Chechen Terrorist Takeover of a Moscow Theater Terrorism and Political Violence, Vol 16(2), Summer 2004, pp. 305-27.

Anne Speckhard “Soldiers for God: A Study of the Suicide Terrorists in the Moscow Hostage Taking Siege" The Roots of Terrorism: Contemporary Trends and Traditional Analysis" Edited by Oliver McTernan, NATO Science Series, Brussels, 2004.

Anne Speckhard, Ph.D. Acute Stress Disorder in Diplomats, Military and Civilian Americans Living Abroad Following the September 11th Terrorist Attacks on America Professional Psychology: Research & Practice Vol 34(2), Apr 2003, 151-158.

Powerpoint Presentations:

Anne Speckhard, Ph.D. Suicidal Terrorists in Action: Observations from the 2002 Moscow Hostage-Taking Siege Presentation to the NATO Advanced Research Workshop on The Modern Roots of Terrorism: Contemporary Trends and Traditional Analysis January 27, 2004


Chronological List of Chechen Suicide Terrorism Events

(.zip file 7Kb)

Moscow Dubrovka Theater – Site of Nord Ost Hostage Taking



Russian Girl lights Candles for Hostages in the Nord Ost Hostage-Taking Siege



Chechen Female Terrorist announcing on a premade video aired on an Al Jazeera broadcast during the Dubrovka Theater siege “Even if we are killed, thousands of our brothers and sisters will come after us ready to sacrifice themselves.” [1]



Terrorists inside the Dubrovka Theater talking with NTV



Chechen Terrorists encourage the hostages to call their loved ones to incite a relatives protest on Red Square



Chechen boy in a refugee camp in Ingushetia watches news of the conclusion of the event aired on television



Russian troops assist children running from the shooting in their Beslan school.