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Women of Terror

Why women have proven to be some of the most ruthlessly effective terrorists.

Women have proven to be some of the most ruthlessly effective of terrorists. Bridget Kendall investigates their motivation and their impact.

From Russia's 19th Century Nihilists to contemporary Sri Lanka and Palestine, women have played central roles in terrorist organisations. Attacks planned or executed by women attract attention and inspire fear in a way that male terrorists can only dream of.

Why are we still shocked by female terrorists? Why are they so effective? How can women be dissuaded from joining terrorist organisations? BBC diplomatic correspondent Bridget Kendall investigates the motives that drive women to kill and considers the response of the media and the public to those who have planted bombs, hijacked planes and killed innocents in their quest for political change.

(Photo: Zohra Drif, militant FLN, was captured together with Saadi Yacef, military leader of the FLN networks of the autonomous zone of Algiers, 24 Sept, 1957. Credit: AFP)

27 minutes

Last on

Mon 14 Sep 201506:32GMT
BBC World Service East Asia

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    BBC World Service
  • Mon 14 Sep 201506:32GMT
    BBC World Service East Asia