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Suicide bombers in Israel
The American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology
|April 16, 1998
Summary
Suicidal bombings in Israel caused 86 fatalities between 1993-1995. Most injuries were blunt force trauma, with attack type, not explosive amount, correlating to fatalities. Swift identification aided disaster management.
Area of Science:
- Forensic Pathology
- Disaster Medicine
- Trauma Analysis
Background:
- 14 suicidal terrorist bombings occurred in Israel between 1993-1995, resulting in 86 fatalities.
- Attacks were conducted by Palestinian organizations opposing peace treaties, utilizing body-worn explosives in public areas.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review postmortem examinations and identification procedures in mass disaster management following terrorist bombings.
- To analyze injury patterns and identify factors influencing fatality rates.
- To assess the effectiveness of inter-agency collaboration in disaster response.
Main Methods:
- Review of postmortem examinations and identification records from 14 suicidal bombings.
- Analysis of injury types, including body disruption, explosive, flying missile, and blast injuries.
- Correlation of fatality numbers with attack characteristics and explosive types.
Main Results:
- Blunt trauma and flying missile injuries constituted 80.1% of all wounds.
- Fatality numbers were more closely linked to the attack type than the quantity or type of explosives.
- Effective collaboration between forensic scientists, law enforcement, and secret service ensured rapid victim and perpetrator identification.
Conclusions:
- The majority of injuries observed were blunt force trauma, necessitating preparedness in emergency medical facilities.
- Inter-agency collaboration is crucial for efficient mass disaster management and swift identification.
- Prompt identification of perpetrators aids in apprehending accomplices and preventing future attacks.