Samira Ahmed Jassim is a 51-year-old woman who was captured by Baghdad security personnel on January 21, 2009. On February 3, 2009, Iraqi spokesman Major-General Qassim al-Moussawi released video of the woman confessing to recruiting and training women to become suicide bombers. Jassim allegedly helped organize the rape of young women and then convincing the victims into becoming suicide bombers.London Times: 'Female suicide bomb recruiter' Samira Ahmed Jassim captured (February 3, 2009) New York Times: Iraq Arrests Woman Tied to Bombings (February 3, 2009)
Confessions of a Suicide Trainer
Jassim claimed that she helped plan the rapes of young women and then persuade the victims to become suicide bombers to escape their shame. She described leading the women to the training grounds in an orchard. Afterward she would lead them to target locations. Los Angeles Times: Woman accused of recruiting female suicide bombers held in Iraqf (February 4, 2009)
The video could not be verified, but Jassim took credit for assisting with several successful suicide bomber missions that had in fact taken place. New York Times: Iraq Arrests Woman Tied to Bombings (February 3, 2009)
Samira Ahmed Jassim
- Times: 'Female suicide bomb recruiter' Samira Ahmed Jassim captured (February 3, 2009)
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More than 30 female suicide bombers carried out attacks in 2008, up from seven female suicide bomber attacks in 2007London Times: 'Female suicide bomb recruiter' Samira Ahmed Jassim captured (February 3, 2009) Los Angeles Times: [http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-iraq-female-bombers4-2009feb04,0,7803445.story Woman accused of recruiting female suicide bombers h
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Intelligence reports say that al Qaeda in Iraq seeks woman who are illiterate, very religious or poorCNN: Iraq: Suspected female militant 'recruiter' held (February 3, 2009)
