THE ONLY CURE FOR SUICIDE TERRORISM IS PREVENTION

THE ONLY CURE FOR SUICIDE TERRORISM IS PREVENTION

Attempts to defeat terrorism with military might can be more dangerous to the governments concerned than to the terrorists ( Colvard, 2002). The military approach alone can only reinforce deep-seated, easily shared and sustained persecutory beliefs of a religious colouring among a large number of well-educated but fanatical young men and women ready to act on their leaders' disordered thought processes and evil fantasies.

Alien thoughts and irrational beliefs are not controlled by eradication of the individuals who harbour or spread such beliefs, especially those who are willing to die for them. Ideas know no boundaries and will always find homes in receptive minds in a climate of chronic conflict, hopelessness, anger, sense of injustice, depression, fear, oppression, poverty and fanaticism. The presence of a callous but charismatic leader within an organisation will prepare them to act on shared beliefs, overvalued ideas or delusions in what they perceive as martyrdom. Suicide terrorism is probably more preventable than other forms of suicide. Receptive and vulnerable minds must be protected and strengthened in the face of the deadly persuasion of pseudo-religious leaders. What is required is a serious and sustained commitment from all nations to combat suicide terrorism in its infancy. Governments must try to resolve or at least reduce global paranoia, tackle injustice over chronic disputes, map and help areas of endemic hopelessness in the world, and eradicate the global infrastructure of terror. Good religious beliefs must never be allowed to be distorted and abused by charismatic inducers of folie à plusieurs of delusional martyrdom, or by ignorant, fanatical preachers who turn religion into the opium of angry people, and ordinary young men and women into human bombs. Another al-Qa'ida-style suicidal folie à plusieursmay then be prevented.

BRITISH JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRY