BBC: Failed Amman hotel bomber to hang

[Eugene]

Last Updated: Thursday, 21 September 2006, 09:00 GMT 10:00 UK

Failed Amman hotel bomber to hang

A Jordanian court has sentenced a failed Iraqi suicide bomber to death
for her role in attacks on hotels in Amman which killed 60 people last year.

The court also passed death sentences by hanging on six other defendants
who were tried in absentia.

Sajida al-Rishawi was filmed by police confessing to trying to take part
in the 9 November attack, but said her explosives belt had not detonated.

She later said her confession was taken under duress and pleaded not guilty.

The attacks were claimed by al-Qaeda in Iraq leader Abu Musab Zarqawi,
who was killed in an operation by US forces earlier this year.

-snip-

Full article: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/5366438.stm

[Poppyseedman]

1. Too bad she wasn't caught by American forces,

she would be cooling her high heels in Gitmo instead of swinging from a rope.

[struggle4progress]

3. Or maybe she would have been beaten to death in some secret prison

or thrown into some river for entertainment purposes ...

[Poppyseedman]

6. Anybody who walks in with a bomb strapped to them

for the expressed purpose to blow up innocent people pretty much lose their right to be treated like a human being.

She forfeits her right for pity or mercy as long as she is actually guilty.

She confessed.

[struggle4progress]

8. It's unclear whether your attitude leads to effective policy:

when "martyrs & martyrdom" is a recruiting theme for groups, giving them more martyrs may simply help their recruitment drives.

And if the underlying psychology of the "suicide bomber" may involve notions such as "certain situations are so hopeless, the best thing I can do is blast myself and a number of bystanders to little pieces," then one ought to have some interest in the question, "What circumstances produce this hopelessness and how can the process be interrupted?" Loud cheers for the hanging of obviously disturbed people certainly has some propaganda effect: it may, however, be the opposite of what you intend.

There was a case, a few years back, in which a would-be suicide bomber was injured but not killed in the attempt, was hospitalized by the authorities, and -- contrary to his own expectations -- was treated as a human being. The result was that the thwarted bomber began to see his declared enemies as human beings also and provided a public apology for the attempt. This sort of event also sends a message ...

[krispos42]

2. Well, she wanted death

But I'm sure she will be upset she will die alone. She had planned on taking a few infidels or whatever with her to The Great Beyond. Oh, well, life's tough; get a helmet.

[Seeking Serenity]

4. Worse than that.

As I understand it, to Muslims, at least of the Middle Eastern variety, death by hanging prevents one from going to heaven. Hanging is what is done to dogs and other "unclean" animals.

At least that is what I was told. If I was told wrong, someone please correct me.

[greccogirl]

5. Good then.

[Disturbed]

7. "death by hanging prevents one from going to heaven"

Beheading is ok then?