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103-841: The Canal Hotel bombing was a suicide truck bombing in Baghdad , Iraq , during the afternoon of 19 August 2003. It killed 23 people, including the United Nations ' Special Representative in Iraq Sérgio Vieira de Mello , and wounded over 100, including human rights lawyer and political activist Amin Mekki Medani . The blast targeted the United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq created just five days earlier. (The United Nations had used

206-459: A 300-year period before being annihilated by Mongol invaders. Hashishiyeen were known for their targeting of the powerful, their use of the dagger as a weapon (rather than something safer for the assassin such as a crossbow), and for making no attempt to escape after completing their killing. Arnold von Winkelried became a hero in the Swiss struggle for independence when he sacrificed himself at

309-573: A French ship with a suicide attack during the Suez Crisis in 1956. However, none of the French ships named by the sources were harmed during the crisis. On 21 March 1968, in response to persistent Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) raids against Israeli civilian targets, Israel attacked the town of Karameh , Jordan, the site of a major PLO camp. The goal of the invasion was to destroy Karameh camp and capture Yasser Arafat in reprisal for

412-486: A Japanese kamikaze attempt on an American carrier as a "suicide bombing". In 1945, The Times of London referred to a kamikaze plane as a "suicide-bomb" and two years later, it referred to a new British pilot-less, radio-controlled rocket missile as originally designed "as a counter-measure to the Japanese 'suicide-bomber'". Suicide attacks include both suicide terrorism and attacks targeting combatants. Terrorism

515-526: A U.S. Army Civil-Military Operations Centre located at the rear of the Canal Hotel, and the resulting shockwave was felt over a mile away. The blast was caused by a suicide bomber driving a truck bomb . The vehicle has been identified as a large 2002 flatbed Kamaz (manufactured in Eastern Europe and part of the former Iraqi establishment's fleet). Investigators in Iraq suspected the bomb

618-518: A bomb in a trash can." "Genocide bombing" was coined in 2002 by Irwin Cotler , a member of the Canadian parliament, in an effort to focus attention on the alleged intention of genocide by militant Palestinians in their calls to " wipe Israel off the map ". In German-speaking areas the term "sacrifice bombing" (Ger. Opferanschlag ) was proposed in 2012 by German scholar Arata Takeda. The term

721-540: A critically acclaimed film about her father's experiences called Pulled from the Rubble . A documentary produced in 2009 and a movie released in 2020 , both titled Sergio , deal with the life of Sergio Vieira de Mello and the Canal Hotel bombing. 33°20′01″N 44°28′02″E  /  33.33361°N 44.46722°E  / 33.33361; 44.46722 Suicide attack Suicide attacks have occurred in various contexts, ranging from military campaigns—such as

824-492: A large scale at the end of World War II . About 3000 attacks were made and about 50 ships were sunk. Later in the war, as Japan became more desperate, this act became formalized and ritualized, as planes were outfitted with explosives specific to the task of a suicide mission. Kamikaze strikes were a weapon of asymmetric war used by the Empire of Japan against United States Navy and Royal Navy aircraft carriers , although

927-471: A modified version of the W54 nuclear bomb. The report stated that he and other soldiers training for the program knew this was a suicide mission because either it would be unrealistic to outrun the timer on the bomb, or that soldiers would be obligated to secure the site before the timer went off. However, in theory the timer could be set long enough to give the team a chance to escape. Bently claimed "We all knew it

1030-606: A new, which is more adapted to other NATO members. In 1975, all of the Norwegian military branches abolished the system of using non-commissioned officers. Now, however, Norway is reintroducing the Non-Commissioned Officer Corps, allowing people to become officers without graduating from a military academy or having a university degree. The rank of staff sergeant is used by the Armed Forces of

1133-550: A senior supervisor. The rank is used, for example, in most Canadian police services. Other national police services (for example, Cyprus) have a corresponding rank of senior sergeant. In the United Kingdom, a few police forces formerly used the rank of station sergeant , with the same rank insignia as an army staff sergeant. The Hong Kong Police Force still uses this rank. In the Philippines, as of 8 February 2019,

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1236-623: A total of 4,814 suicide attacks were carried out in over 40 countries, resulting in over 45,000 deaths. The global frequency of these attacks increased from an average of three per year in the 1980s to roughly one per month in the 1990s, almost one per week from 2001 to 2003, and roughly one per day from 2003 to 2015. In 2019, there were 149 suicide bombings in 24 countries, carried out by 236 individuals. These attacks resulted in 1,850 deaths and 3,660 injuries. Suicide attacks distinguish themselves from other terror attacks due to their heightened lethality and destructiveness. Perpetrators benefit from

1339-504: A website and "probably authentic," according to the CIA , Abu Musab al-Zarqawi claimed credit for a number of attacks, including the 19 August 2003 bombing on U.N. quarters in Baghdad. By December 2004, The Jamestown Foundation considered al-Zarqawi and his Jama'at al-Tawhid wal-Jihad responsible for the attack. In January 2005, a top bombmaker for al-Zarqawi's group, Abu Omar al-Kurdi ,

1442-617: Is a non-commissioned officer (NCO). Unlike the Marine Corps, U.S. Army staff sergeants are not considered senior NCOs (senior NCOs of the Army begin with sergeant first class, equivalent to the Marines' gunnery sergeant). Staff sergeants are generally placed in charge of squads , but can also act as platoon sergeants in the absence of a sergeant first class. In support units, staff sergeants ordinarily hold headquarters positions because of

1545-404: Is also a police rank in some police services. In origin, certain senior sergeants were assigned to administrative, supervisory, or other specialist duties as part of the staff of a British Army regiment . As such they held seniority over sergeants who were members of a battalion or company , and were paid correspondingly increased wages. Their seniority was indicated by a crown worn above

1648-719: Is assumed to derive from the original rank of troop sergeant major , or as "Sir" by subordinates. Flight sergeant and chief technician are the Royal Air Force equivalents. Chief petty officer is the equivalent in the Royal Navy and colour sergeant in the Royal Marines . Staff sergeant ( SSG ) is the E-6 rank in the United States Army , just above sergeant and below sergeant first class , and

1751-479: Is given a NATO code of OR-7. The insignia is the monarch's crown above three downward pointing chevrons. Staff sergeants can also hold other appointments, such as company quartermaster sergeant , and are usually known by that appointment if held. The equivalent rank in infantry regiments is colour sergeant , and holders are known by that title no matter what their appointment. In the Household Cavalry

1854-431: Is intended to shift the focus away from the suicide of the perpetrators and towards their use as weapons by their commanders. The first-century AD Jewish Sicarii sect are thought to have carried out suicidal attacks against Hellenized Jews they considered immoral collaborators. The Hashishiyeen ( Assassins ) sect of Ismaili Shi'a Muslims assassinated two caliphs, as well as many viziers, sultans and Crusader leaders over

1957-439: Is little in common between people who blow themselves up intending to kill as many people as possible in the process and actual suicide victims. Fox News producer Dennis Murray argued that a suicidal act should be reserved for a person who does something to kill themselves only. CNN producer Christa Robinson argued that the term "homicide bomber" was not specific enough, stating that "A homicide bomber could refer to someone planting

2060-447: Is often defined any action "intended to cause death or serious bodily harm to civilians or non-combatants" for the purpose of intimidation. An alternative definition provided by Jason Burke —a journalist who has lived among Islamic militants—suggests that most define terrorism as "the use or threat of serious violence" to advance some kind of "cause", stressing that terrorism is a tactic. Academic Fred Halliday has written that assigning

2163-490: Is one Singapore coat of arms and three pointed-down chevrons below it. In the Singapore Police Force , the rank of staff sergeant is currently being phased out with the newly overhauled "unified police rank structure" which allows a direct-entry sergeant to be eligible for emplacement to the rank of Inspector without a degree. In the past, the rank of staff sergeant is above the rank of sergeant, and below

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2266-588: Is only used for the company chief clerk (in some instances the chief clerk role can be filled by another non-commissioned rank (but not warrant officer) and still be referred to as "Chief"). A staff sergeant ranks above sergeant and below warrant officer class 2 . In the pre-Unification Canadian Army , the rank of staff sergeant existed until 1968 when the Unification of the Royal Canadian Navy , Canadian Army and Royal Canadian Air Force into

2369-717: The Aceh Sultanate performed suicide attacks known as Parang-sabil against Dutch invaders during the Aceh War . It was considered as part of personal jihad in the Islamic religion of the Acehnese. The Dutch called it Atjèh-moord , (literally "Aceh-murder"). The Acehnese work of literature, the Hikayat Perang Sabil provided the background and reasoning for the "Aceh-mord"—Acehnese suicide attacks upon

2472-708: The Battle for Berlin the Luftwaffe flew "Self-sacrifice missions" ( Selbstopfereinsätze ) against Soviet bridges over the River Oder . These 'total missions' were flown by pilots of the Leonidas Squadron . From 17 to 20 April 1945, using any available aircraft, the Luftwaffe claimed the squadron had destroyed 17 bridges. However, military historian Antony Beevor believes this claim was exaggerated and only

2575-491: The Battle of Sempach in 1386. The earliest known non-military suicide attack occurred in Murchison , New Zealand, on 14 July 1905. When a long-standing dispute between two farmers resulted in a court case, the defendant (Joseph Sewell) arrived with sticks of gelignite strapped to his body. When during the court proceedings Sewell excitedly shouted "I'll blow the devil to hell, and I have enough dynamite to do just that", he

2678-820: The Canadian Armed Forces occurred. Post-unification, the Canadian Armed Forces replaced the rank with that of Warrant Officer . The rank is used by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and other police services throughout Canada. In the Norwegian Defence Forces, the tasks and responsibilities of the staff sergeant ( Norwegian : Stabssersjant ) are not clear; quite recently, in January 2016, Norway replaced their old rank system, and implemented

2781-667: The Columbine High School massacre , the Virginia Tech shooting or Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in the U.S.) are driven by personal and psychological reasons, rather than political, social or religious motives. It may not always be clear to investigators which type of killing is which—suicide attack campaigns sometimes use proxy bombers (as alleged in Iraq) or manipulate the vulnerable to become bombers. At least one researcher ( Adam Lankford ) argues that

2884-545: The Indonesian occupation of East Timor ). Zarqawi said that Vieira de Mello had participated in the unlawful removal of territory from the Islamic Caliphate and was therefore a thief and a criminal. The bombing was followed on September 22, 2003, by another car bomb outside the Canal Hotel. The blast killed the bomber and an Iraqi policeman and wounded 19 others, including UN workers. The second attack led to

2987-612: The Internet . I particularly liked a Tunisian security advisor who had served in the Balkans and was worried about terrorists targeting the UN. I left at two, intending to return later in the afternoon to use the Internet. But when I came back at 4:30, a thick column of smoke was rising from either end of the building, families were screaming and pushing at a cordon of U.S. soldiers , and

3090-608: The January 28 Incident , a Dare to Die squad struck against the Japanese. Suicide bombing was also used against the Japanese. A "dare to die corps" was effectively used against Japanese units at the Battle of Taierzhuang . They used swords and wore suicide vests made out of grenades. A Chinese soldier detonated a grenade vest and killed 20 Japanese soldiers at Sihang Warehouse . Chinese troops strapped explosives such as grenade packs or dynamite to their bodies and threw themselves under Japanese tanks to blow them up. This tactic

3193-482: The Lod Airport massacre or "reckless charge in battle", focusing only on true "suicide attacks", where the odds of survival are not "close to zero" but required to be zero, because "the perpetrator's ensured death is a precondition for the success of his mission". Also excluded from the definition are " proxy bombings ", which may have political goals and be designed to look like a suicide bombing, but in which

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3296-590: The National Civil Defence Cadet Corps (NCDCC), the rank of staff sergeant is above sergeant, and below Station Inspector and Warrant Officer respectively. The rank of staff sergeant generally is awarded to cadets when they are in Secondary Four, before they pass out. NPCC and NCDCC staff sergeants wear a rank insignia of one Singapore coat of arms and three pointed-down chevrons. The letters 'NPCC' and 'NCDCC' are located below

3399-463: The Palestinian territories , Pakistan , and Sri Lanka . By mid-2015, about three-quarters of all suicide attacks occurred in just three countries: Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iraq. William Hutchinson (W. Hutchinson) describes suicide attacks as a weapon of psychological warfare aimed at instilling fear in the target population, undermining areas where the public feels secure, and eroding

3502-576: The Siege of Fort Zeelandia . On 5 February 1831, during the Belgian Revolution , a gale blew a Dutch gunboat under the command of Jan van Speyk into the quay of the port of Antwerp . As the ship was stormed by Belgians, van Speyk refused to surrender, instead igniting the ship's gunpowder with either his gun or cigar, blowing up the ship. The explosion killed 28 out of the 31 crewmen and an unknown number of Belgians. Muslim Acehnese from

3605-715: The United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution A/63/139 on "Strengthening of the Coordination of Emergency Assistance of the United Nations," which, among other declarations, designated 19 August as World Humanitarian Day to recognize all humanitarian and United Nations and associated personnel who have worked in the promotion of the humanitarian cause and those who have lost their lives while doing so. In 2004, Gil Loescher 's daughter, documentary filmmaker Margaret Loescher, made

3708-604: The armoured flight deck of the Royal Navy carriers diminished Kamikaze effectiveness. Along with fitting existing aircraft with bombs, the Japanese also developed the Ohka , a purpose-built suicide aircraft, air-launched from a carrying bomber and propelled to the target at high speed using rocket engines. The Japanese Navy also used piloted torpedoes called kaiten ("Heaven shaker") on suicide missions. Although sometimes called midget submarines , these were modified versions of

3811-598: The first recorded female suicide bomber in 1985. During the Sri Lankan Civil War , the Tamil Tigers (LTTE) adopted suicide bombing as a tactic, using bomb belts and female bombers. The LTTE carried out their first suicide attack in July 1987, and their Black Tiger unit committed 83 suicide attacks from 1987 to 2009, killing 981 people including former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and

3914-441: The "fabric of trust that holds societies together." This weapon is further used to demonstrate the lengths to which perpetrators will go to achieve their goals. Motivations for suicide attackers vary: kamikaze pilots acted under military orders, while other attacks have been driven by religious or nationalist purposes. According to analyst Robert Pape , prior to 2003, most attacks targeted occupying forces. From 2000 to 2004,

4017-418: The "proxy" is forced to carry a bomb under threat (such as having their children killed), or where the proxy isn't fully aware that they are delivering a bomb that will kill them. The definition also generally excludes mass shootings in which the perpetrators commit suicide, as the shooter committing suicide is a separate act from shooting their victims. Further distinction is how many of such shootings (such as

4120-774: The 1980s to 81 suicide attacks in 2001 and 460 in 2005. By 2005, the tactic had spread to dozens of countries. Suicide bombing became a popular tactic among Palestinian terrorist organizations such as Hamas , Islamic Jihad , the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade , and occasionally by the PFLP . The first suicide bombing in Israel was by Hamas in 1994. Attacks peaked from 2001 to 2003 with over 40 bombings and over 200 killed in 2002. Bombers affiliated with these groups often use so-called " suicide belts ", explosive devices (often including shrapnel ) designed to be strapped to

4223-503: The 3-days 2-nights Senior Specialists Leaders Course successfully. The rank of staff sergeant is above first sergeant and below master sergeant. Staff sergeants wear a rank insignia of two pointed-up chevrons, one Singapore coat of arms and three pointed-down chevrons, with the letters 'NCC' located below the insignia to differentiate NCC cadets from SAF personnel. In the National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC) and

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4326-488: The Acehnese rebelled again. Moro Muslims who performed suicide attacks were called mag-sabil , and the suicide attacks were known as Parang-sabil . The Spanish called them juramentados . The idea of the juramentado was considered part of jihad in the Moros' Islamic religion. During an attack, a juramentado would throw himself at his targets and kill them with bladed weapons such as barongs and kris until he himself

4429-461: The Communists formed "Dare to Die Corps" to fight for their organizations, with their lives. During the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and massacre , protesting students also formed "Dare to Die Corps", to risk their lives defending the protest leaders. Kamikaze , a ritual act of self-sacrifice carried out by Japanese pilots of explosive-laden aircraft against Allied warships, occurred on

4532-624: The Dutch. The Indonesian translations of the Dutch terms are Aceh bodoh (Aceh pungo) or Aceh gila (Aceh mord). Atjèh-moord was also used against the Japanese by the Acehnese during the Japanese occupation of Aceh . The Acehnese Ulama (Islamic Scholars) fought against both the Dutch and the Japanese, revolting against the Dutch in February 1942 and against Japan in November 1942. The revolt

4635-642: The Great Depression). Nine days after the attack, U.S. President George W. Bush called for a "War on Terror" and shortly thereafter launched the War in Afghanistan to find and capture Osama bin Laden , the head of the al-Qaeda organization that mounted the 9/11 attacks. Staff Sergeant Staff sergeant is a rank of non-commissioned officer used in the armed forces of many countries. It

4738-520: The Japanese kamikaze pilots during World War II (1944–1945)—to more contemporary Islamic terrorist campaigns—including the September 11 attacks in 2001. Initially, these attacks primarily targeted military, police, and public officials. This approach continued with groups like al-Qaeda , which combined mass civilian targets with political leadership. While only a few suicide attacks occurred between 1945 and 1980, between 1981 and September 2015,

4841-474: The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor which thrust the United States into World War II ". They involved the hijacking of four large passenger jet airliners . Unlike earlier airline hijackings, the primary focus was the planes, not the passengers because their long transcontinental flight plans meant they carried more fuel, allowing a bigger explosion on impact. Two planes were deliberately flown into

4944-736: The Japanese during the Second Sino-Japanese War . In the Xinhai Revolution, many Chinese revolutionaries became martyrs in battle. "Dare to Die" student corps were founded for student revolutionaries wanting to fight against Qing dynasty rule. Sun Yat-sen and Huang Xing promoted the Dare to Die corps. Huang said, "We must die, so let us die bravely." Suicide squads were formed by Chinese students going into battle, knowing that they would be killed fighting against overwhelming odds. The 72 Martyrs of Huanghuagang died in

5047-642: The Malabar coast of southwestern India, and in Atjeh (Acheh) in Northern Sumatra as well. The first known suicide bomber was a Russian man named Ignaty Grinevitsky . The invention of dynamite in the 1860s presented revolutionary and terrorist groups in Europe with a weapon nearly 20 times more powerful than gunpowder. However, using dynamite required overcoming the technical challenges of detonating it at

5150-894: The Philippines . It is a non-commissioned officer rank currently used by Philippine Army , Philippine Air Force , and the Philippine Marine Corps (under the Philippine Navy ). It is a rank positioned above sergeant and below the technical sergeant . A staff sergeant ( SSG ) in the Singapore Armed Forces ranks above first sergeant and below master sergeant . It is the second most senior specialist rank. Staff sergeants are addressed as "Staff Sergeant" or "Staff", but never "Sergeant". Staff sergeants may be appointed as company sergeant major if they are due for promotion to master sergeant. They are usually addressed as "CSM" in camp, although in

5253-573: The Qing dynasty imperial system. Other Dare to Die student corps in the Xinhai revolution were led by students who later became major military leaders in Republic of China, like Chiang Kai-shek , and Huang Shaoxiong with the Muslim Bai Chongxi against Qing dynasty forces. "Dare to Die" troops were used by warlords. The Kuomintang used one to put down an insurrection in Canton. Many women joined them in addition to men to achieve martyrdom against China's opponents. They were known as 烈士 "Lit-she" (Martyrs) after accomplishing their mission. During

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5356-406: The Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City , destroying both 110-story skyscrapers within less than two hours. A third plane was flown into the Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia , causing severe damage to the west side of the building. These attacks resulted in the deaths of 221 people (including the 15 hijackers) on board the three planes as well as 2,731 more in and around

5459-480: The U.S. embassy in April 1983 and attack on United States Marine and French barracks in October 1983 brought suicide bombings international attention and began the modern suicide bombing era. Other parties to the civil war were quick to adopt the tactic, and by 1999 factions such as Hezbollah, the Amal Movement , the Ba'ath Party , and the Syrian Social Nationalist Party had carried out a total of roughly 50 suicide bombings. The Syrian Social Nationalist Party sent

5562-453: The UN of her presence. Her survival was confirmed four days later. We destroyed the U.N. building, the protectors of Jews , the friends of the oppressors and aggressors. The U.N. has recognized the Americans as the masters of Iraq. Before that, they gave Palestine as a gift to the Jews so they can rape the land and humiliate our people. Do not forget Bosnia , Kashmir , Afghanistan and Chechnya . In an audiotape, published 6 April 2004 on

5665-413: The USMC was created in 1923 to coincide with the U.S. Army's ranks. Until the end of World War II, the insignia of platoon sergeant was three chevrons and a rocker (worn by "line" NCO grades), with staff sergeant having a horizontal stripe (worn by "staff" NCO grades) instead of a rocker below the chevrons. After the separate rank of platoon sergeant was eliminated, the staff sergeant rank switched over to

5768-512: The United Nations in Baghdad drew overwhelming condemnation. Kofi Annan , United Nations Secretary-General, commented that the bombing would not stop the organization's efforts to rebuild Iraq, and said: "Nothing can excuse this act of unprovoked and murderous violence against men and women who went to Iraq for one purpose only: to help the Iraqi people recover their independence and sovereignty, and to rebuild their country as fast as possible, under leaders of their own choosing." On 11 December 2008,

5871-462: The ability to conceal weapons, make last-minute adjustments, and the lack of need for escape plans, rescue teams, efforts to conceal their identities or evade capture afterwards, and—in the case of suicide bombings—remote or delayed detonation. Although they accounted for only 4% of all terrorist attacks between 1981 and 2006, they resulted in 32% of terrorism-related deaths (14,599 deaths). 90% of these attacks occurred in Afghanistan , Iraq , Israel ,

5974-405: The attacks by the PLO against Israeli civilians, which culminated in an Israeli school bus hitting a mine in the Negev . This engagement marked the first known deployment of suicide bombers by Palestinian forces. On 27 December 2018, the Green Bay Press-Gazette interviewed veteran Mark Bentley, who had trained for the Special Atomic Demolition Munition program to manually place and detonate

6077-458: The battle. In the late 17th century, Qing official Yu Yonghe recorded that injured Dutch soldiers fighting against Koxinga 's forces for control of Taiwan in 1661 would use gunpowder to blow up both themselves and their opponents rather than be taken prisoner. However, Yu may have confused such suicidal tactics with the standard Dutch military practice of undermining and blowing up overrun positions, which almost cost Koxinga his life during

6180-1074: The body under clothing. In order to maximize the loss of life, the bombers seek out enclosed spaces, such as cafés or city buses crowded with people at rush hour . Less common are military targets (for example, soldiers waiting for transport at roadside). These bombings have tended to have more popular support than in other Muslim countries, and more music videos and announcements that promise eternal reward for suicide bombers can be found on Palestinian television (according to Palestinian Media Watch). Israeli sources observed that Hamas, Islamic Jihad and Fatah operate "Paradise Camps", training children as young as 11 to become suicide bombers. In 2004, due to increased effectiveness in Israel's security measures and stricter checkpoint protocols, terrorist organizations began employing women and children more frequently as operatives, assuming that they would raise fewer suspicions and undergo less rigorous inspections. The September 11, 2001 attacks , orchestrated by al-Qaeda, has been called "the worst attack on American soil since

6283-413: The compound were good-humored. I had said to my friend that things seemed pretty relaxed. She had replied that the special representative was proud that Iraqis could approach the UN building – unlike in the Green Zone , whose barriers were a half mile from the main offices. ... I went to the canteen, where I sat from ten until two in the afternoon, talking to local NGO staff who came in to eat and use

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6386-508: The descriptor of "terrorist" or "terrorism" to the actions of a group is a tactic used by states to deny "legitimacy" and "rights to protest and rebel". The definition of "suicide" in this context is also a matter of debate. Suicide terrorism itself has been defined by Ami Pedahzur, a professor of government, as "violent actions perpetrated by people who are aware that the odds they will return alive are close to zero". Other sources exclude from their work " suicidal " or high risk attacks, such as

6489-429: The equivalent rank is staff corporal . British staff sergeants are never referred to or addressed as "Sergeant", which would be reducing their rank, but are referred to and addressed as "Staff Sergeant" or "Staff" ("Staff Jones", for instance) or by their appointment or its abbreviation. Quartermaster sergeants are often addressed as "Q". In most cavalry regiments, staff sergeants are addressed as "Sergeant Major" , which

6592-458: The hotel as its headquarters in Iraq since the early 1990s.) The 19 August bombing resulted in the withdrawal within weeks of most of the 600 UN staff members from Iraq. These events were to have a profound and lasting impact on the UN's security practices globally. The attack was followed by a suicide car bomb attack on 22 September 2003 near U.N. headquarters in Baghdad, killing a security guard and wounding 19 people. Abu Musab al-Zarqawi ,

6695-401: The ideology of Islamist martyrdom played a predominant role in motivating the majority of bombers, as noted by anthropologist Scott Atran . The usage of the term "suicide attack" has a long history, but "suicide bombing" dates back to at least 1940 when a New York Times article mentioned the term in relation to German tactics. Less than two years later, the New York Times referred to

6798-511: The insignia so as to differentiate NPCC and NCDCC cadets from Singapore Police Force and Singapore Civil Defence Force personnel respectively. In the St John Brigade (SJB), the rank of staff sergeant (SSG) is above sergeant, and below senior staff sergeant. Staff sergeants in SJB wear a rank insignia of one St John coat of arms and three pointed-down chevrons. In the British Army , staff sergeant ( SSgt or formerly S/Sgt ) ranks above sergeant and below warrant officer class 2 . The rank

6901-424: The leader of terrorist organization Jama'at al-Tawhid wal-Jihad , in April 2004 claimed responsibility for the 19 August blast. In his book The Prince of the Marshes , British politician and writer Rory Stewart recounts his experiences at the Canal Hotel on the day of the bombing. I had wandered past the security point without anyone attempting to search me or ask my business. The Iraqis coming in and out of

7004-422: The mid-1990s The attacks first appeared in Israel and the Palestinian Territories in 1989. In early 2000, one analyst ( Yoram Schweitzer ) saw a pause in bombing campaigns and argued that "most of the groups that were involved in suicide terrorism either stopped using it or eventually reduced it significantly." The number of attacks using suicide tactics grew from an average of fewer than five per year during

7107-479: The motivation to kill and be killed connects some suicide attackers more closely to "suicidal rampage" murderers than is commonly thought. Islamist supporters often call a suicide attack Istishhad (often translated as " martyrdom operation ") and the suicide attacker shahid (pl. shuhada , "witness" and usually translated as "martyr"), the idea being that the attacker died in order to testify his faith in God, such as while waging jihad bis saif ( jihad by

7210-570: The new rank of staff sergeant. Staff sergeant, as did the ranks it combined/replaced, then ranked above sergeant but below technical sergeant/first sergeant (which, at the time, were both in the same pay grade). At that time, sergeants served as squad or section leaders, platoon guides , and assistants to platoon commanders (the position of platoon sergeant, nor a separate rank for the position, did not yet exist), and included several formerly separate ranks such as mess sergeant, company supply sergeant, and stable sergeant, etc. In 1940, staff sergeant became

7313-455: The next three hours trying to extricate the two survivors without benefit of any rescue equipment. Loescher was rescued after having his crushed legs amputated by the soldiers, but Vieira de Mello died before he could be removed. According to Abu Musab al-Zarqawi , Vieira de Mello was specifically targeted in the blast. The reason given by al-Zarqawi for targeting Vieira de Mello was that he had helped East Timor become an independent state (see

7416-537: The non-Muslim Chinese as the Chinese were not considered enemies of the Moro people. The Japanese responded to these suicide attacks by massacring all known family members and relatives of the attacker(s). According to historian Stephan Dale, the Moro were not the only Muslims who carried out suicide attacks "in their fight against Western hegemony and colonial rule". In the 18th century, suicide tactics were used on

7519-437: The number of slots available for them in these units. Staff sergeants are typically assigned as a squad leader or company operations non-commissioned officer in charge at the company level, but may also hold other positions depending on the type of unit. Staff sergeants are referred to as "Sergeant" except in certain training environments and schools. The NATO code is OR-6. In the early days of World War II flying sergeants with

7622-414: The office at the time, seven were killed instantly, but de Mello and Gil Loescher were critically wounded and trapped in debris under the collapsed portion of the building. An American soldier, First Sergeant William von Zehle, crawled down through the collapsed building and worked to extricate the two men. He was joined later by another American soldier, Staff Sergeant Andre Valentine. The two men spent

7725-537: The past they were referred to as "Encik", which is now used to address only warrant officers. The rank insignia consists of two chevrons pointing up and three chevrons pointing down, with the Singapore coat of arms in the middle. In the Singapore Prison Service , the rank of staff sergeant (SSGT) is above the rank of sergeant, and is below the rank of Chief Warder (1). The rank insignia of SSGT

7828-686: The president of Sri Lanka, Ranasinghe Premadasa . Another non-religious group involved in suicide attacks was the Kurdistan Workers' Party which began their insurgency against the Turkish state in 1984. According to the Chicago Project on Security and Terrorism 's Suicide Attack Database , as of 2015, ten suicide attacks by the PKK from 1996 to 2012 killed 32 people and injured 116. Al-Qaeda carried out its first suicide attack in

7931-570: The primary purpose of such a bombing is to kill other people, "homicide" is a more apt adjective than "suicide". The only major media outlets to use it were Fox News Channel and the New York Post , both of which are owned by News Corporation and have since mostly abandoned the term. Robert Goldney, a professor emeritus at the University of Adelaide , has argued in favor of the term "homicide bomber", arguing that studies show that there

8034-461: The railway bridge at Küstrin was definitely destroyed. He comments that "thirty-five pilots and aircraft was a high price to pay for such a limited and temporary success". The missions were called off when the Soviet ground forces reached the vicinity of the squadron's airbase at Jüterbog . Rudolf Christoph Freiherr von Gersdorff intended to assassinate Adolf Hitler by suicide bomb in 1943, but

8137-528: The rank of senior staff sergeant; with the new rank structure being introduced, the rank and insignia of staff sergeant is being phased out, and being replaced with three grades of sergeant, namely, sergeant (1), sergeant (2), and sergeant (3), before being promoted directly to senior staff sergeant. However, all three grades of sergeants don the same three-chevrons insignia. In the National Cadet Corps , staff sergeants are cadets who have passed

8240-709: The rank of staff sergeant were qualified enlisted pilots before the rank of flight officer was introduced in September 1942. The rank of staff sergeant in the U.S. Army, along with technical sergeant (renamed sergeant first class in 1948) and master sergeant , was created by Congress after the First World War. In 1920 the Army combined several company/battery/troop level "staff" NCO ranks, including color sergeant, supply sergeant, radio sergeant, eleven grades of sergeant first class, three grades of sergeant, two grades of master gunner, and assistant band leader into

8343-659: The rank of staff sergeant is currently being used by the Philippine National Police as they adopt a new ranking classification, eliminating confusion of old ranks. The rank stands above the Police Corporal and below the Police Master sergeant . A number of other organisations, basing their structure on military ranks, have historically used, or still use, the rank of staff sergeant. The rank of staff sergeant was, for example, phased out of

8446-493: The rank title of rifle platoon sergeants and in 1942 rifle squad leaders became staff sergeants, with platoon sergeants then being promoted to technical sergeants. Staff sergeant ( SSgt ) is E-6 rank (NATO code OR-6) in the United States Marine Corps (USMC), ranking above sergeant and below gunnery sergeant . This grade is normally achieved after 6 years in service. The rank of staff sergeant in

8549-1067: The right time. One solution was to use a human trigger, which was the technique used to assassinate Tsar Alexander II of Russia in 1881. A would-be suicide-bomber killed Vyacheslav von Plehve , the Russian Minister of the Interior, in St Petersburg in 1904. During the Xinhai Revolution (the Revolution of 1911) and the Warlord Era of the Republic of China (1912–1949) , " Dare to Die Corps " ( traditional Chinese : 敢死隊 ; simplified Chinese : 敢死队 ; pinyin : gǎnsǐduì ; Wade–Giles : Kan-ssu-tui ) or "Suicide squads" were frequently used by Chinese armies. China deployed these suicide units against

8652-683: The rocker insignia and staff sergeants held the platoon sergeant's billet. The rank of cadet staff sergeant ( CSSG or C/SSgt ) is used by many cadet organisations around the world, including the Civil Air Patrol in the United States, and the Army Cadet Force and the Army Section of the Combined Cadet Force in the United Kingdom. The rank of staff sergeant is used in some police forces to indicate

8755-494: The sword). The term "suicide" is never used because Islam has strong strictures against taking one's own life. The terms Istishhad / "martyrdom operation" have been embraced by the Palestinian Authority as well as by Hamas , Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades , Fatah and other Palestinian factions. Some efforts have been made to replace the term "suicide bombing" with "homicide bombing", on the grounds that, since

8858-629: The target either on the person or in a civilian vehicle and delivered by surprise". (Noah Feldman and many others exclude terror attacks such as the Lod Airport massacre where "the perpetrator's ensured death" was not "a precondition for the success of his mission". ) The intended targets are often civilian, not just military or political. The Islamic Dawa Party 's car bombing of the Iraqi embassy in Beirut in December 1981 and Hezbollah 's bombing of

8961-402: The targeted buildings. A fourth plane crashed into a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania , after a revolt by the plane's passengers, killing all 44 people (including the four hijackers) on board. In total, the attacks killed 2,996 people and injured more than 6,000 others . The U.S. stock market closed for four trading days after the attacks (the first time it had an unscheduled closing since

9064-411: The thought that it was anything other than a one-way mission. If you're Bruce Willis, you get away, but I ain't Bruce Willis." However, employment manuals for atomic demolition munitions specifically describe the firing party and their guard retreating from the emplacement site, at which point the device is protected through a combination of passive security measures including concealment, camouflage and

9167-479: The three sergeant's stripes on their uniform rank markings. In the Australian Army and Cadets , the rank of staff sergeant is being phased out. It was usually held by the company quartermaster sergeant or the holders of other administrative roles. Staff sergeants are always addressed as "Staff Sergeant" or "Staff", never as "Sergeant", as it degrades their rank. "Chief" is another nickname though this

9270-442: The unmanned torpedoes of the time and are distinct from the torpedo-firing midget submarines used earlier in the war, which were designed to infiltrate shore defenses and return to a mother ship after firing their torpedoes. Although extremely hazardous, these midget submarine attacks were not technically suicide missions, as the earlier midget submarines had escape hatches. Kaitens, however, provided no means of escape. During

9373-609: The uprising that began the Wuchang Uprising , and were recognized as heroes and martyrs by the Kuomintang party and the Republic of China . The martyrs in the Dare to Die Corps who died in battle wrote letters to family members before heading off to certain death. The Huanghuakang was built as a monument to the 72 martyrs. The deaths of the revolutionaries helped the establishment of the Republic of China, overthrowing

9476-507: The use of decoys, as well as active security measures including booby-traps, obstacles such as concertina wire and landmines, and long ranged artillery fire. Further, the SADM included a Field Wire Remote Control System (FWRCS), a device that enabled the sending of safe/arm and firing signals to the weapon via a wire for safe remote detonation of the weapon. Modern suicide bombing has been defined as "involving explosives deliberately carried to

9579-460: The withdrawal of some 600 UN international staff from Baghdad, along with employees of other aid agencies. In August 2004, de Mello's replacement, Ashraf Qazi , arrived in Baghdad along with a small number of staff. Marilyn Manuel, a member of Vieira de Mello's staff from the Philippines, was originally listed as missing and presumed dead in the collapsed section of the building. However, she had been evacuated to an Iraqi hospital which did not notify

9682-461: The woman who had served me my salad in the cafeteria was running toward us. In my brief time away from the building, a suicide bomber had driven his truck up beneath De Mello 's office window. The explosion occurred while Martin Barber, director of the UN's Mine Action Service (UNMAS), was holding a press conference. The explosion damaged a spinal cord treatment center at the hospital next door and

9785-503: Was a one-way mission, a suicide mission." "You set your timer, and it would click when it went off, or it went ding or I forget what, but you knew you were toast. Ding! Your toast is ready, and it's you." He also commented, "The Army is not going to set a bomb like that and run away and leave it, because they don't know if someone else would get ahold of it. They have to leave troops there to make sure it's not stolen or compromised, and that would just be collateral damage. You didn't go out with

9888-485: Was captured by the coalition and claimed his associates made the bomb used in the attack. On 16 December 2005, Iraqi authorities issued an arrest warrant for Mullah Halgurd al-Khabir, a commander of Ansar al-Sunna , in connection with the attack. The Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera identified the suicide bomber as Algerian national Fahdal Nassim. Other suspects included Baathists , militant Sunni and Shiite groups, organized crime , and tribal elements. Blame

9991-574: Was initially thought to lie with Ansar al-Islam , which was thought at the time to be al-Zarqawi's group. An otherwise unknown group called the "Armed Vanguards of the Second Mohammed Army" claimed they were responsible for the attack. Awraz Abd Aziz Mahmoud Sa'eed, known as al-Kurdi, confessed to helping plan the attack for al-Zarqawi. Al-Kurdi was captured by U.S. forces in 2005, judged and sentenced to death by an Iraqi court, and executed by hanging on 3 July 2007. The suicide bombing of

10094-755: Was killed. The Moros performed juramentado suicide attacks against the Spanish in the Spanish–Moro conflict of the 16th to the 19th centuries, against the Americans in the Moro Rebellion (1899–1913), and against the Japanese in World War II . The Moro juramentados aimed their attacks specifically against their enemies, not against non-Muslims in general. They launched suicide attacks on the Japanese, Spanish, Americans and Filipinos, but did not attack

10197-707: Was led by the All-Aceh Religious Scholars' Association (PUSA). The Japanese suffered 18 dead in the uprising while they slaughtered up to 100 or over 120 Acehnese. The revolt happened in Bayu and was centred around Tjot Plieng village's religious school. During the revolt, the Japanese troops armed with mortars and machine guns were charged by sword wielding Acehnese under Teungku Abduldjalil (Tengku Abdul Djalil) in Buloh Gampong Teungah and Tjot Plieng on 10 and 13 November. In May 1945

10300-480: Was made from old munitions, including a single 500-pound aerial bomb, from Iraq's pre-war arsenal. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Humanitarian Information Centre (HIC) for Iraq (UNOHCI) was located directly beneath the office of Sérgio Vieira de Mello , the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights , and suffered a direct hit. Of the eight staff and one visitor in

10403-497: Was unable to complete the attack. North Korean tanks were attacked by South Koreans with suicide tactics during the Korean War. American tanks at Seoul were attacked by North Korean suicide squads, who used satchel charges. North Korean soldier Li Su-Bok is considered a hero for destroying an American tank with a suicide bomb. According to Egyptian media, an Arab Christian military officer from Syria, Jules Jammal , sunk

10506-474: Was used during the Battle of Shanghai , to stop a Japanese tank column when an attacker exploded himself beneath the lead tank, and at the Battle of Taierzhuang where Chinese troops with dynamite and grenades strapped to themselves rushed Japanese tanks and blew themselves up, in one incident obliterating four Japanese tanks with grenade bundles. During the 1946–1950 Communist Revolution , coolies fighting

10609-534: Was ushered out of the building. Sewell detonated the charge when a police officer tried to arrest him on the street, blowing his body to pieces. No one other than Sewell was killed by the attack. In 1780, an Indian woman named Kuyili applied ghee and oil onto her body and set herself ablaze. She then jumped into an armoury of the East India Company , causing it to explode. This suicide attack helped to secure victory for her queen, Velu Nachiyar , in

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