Andalib Suleiman
Encyclopedia
Andalib Suleiman Takatka (Andaliv Takatka) was the fourth Palestinian
female suicide bomber
. She killed six people, seven including herself, and injured over forty at a bus stop on Jaffa Road
outside of the open-air Mahane Yehuda market in Jerusalem on April 12, 2002. Rather than wearing an explosive belt, Andalib carried a black handbag that contained three plastic pipes filled with explosives and nails connected to a battery. She belonged to the Tanzim
as well as the al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades
. In her final video she was dressed in black and holding a Koran while she stated that she was about to die as a symbol of the woman's fight against occupation, and that it was her desire to finish the work that had been started by her two cousins, and to honor the memory of Wafa Idris
, Darine Abu Aisha, and Ayat al-Akhras
. Two Chinese construction workers were killed in the attack.
, where her entire family clan the Takatka resides. Her two cousins Iman Takatka, age seventeen, and Samia Takatka, age twenty-one, were captured by Israeli security forces as they prepared to carry out suicide bombings at Jerusalem's Mahane Yehuda market. The girls were taken to an Israeli prison and in response to the attempted attack their family's home was demolished by the IDF
, Andalib witnessed this. She became increasingly fascinated with other female suicide bombers especially Wafa Idris
and Ayat al-Akhras
. After Ayat's death Andalib, along with the other female members of her family, traveled to Deaishe refugee camp to pay their respects to her family. There she met Youssef Moughrabil a leader of Tanzim
in Bethlehem
.
Israeli sources claim that her motivation was "to redeem herself for her alleged extramarital sexual relations with a Fatah operative. According to one version, she even became pregnant with his child." Also see the book: "Army of Roses: Inside the world of the Palestinian suicide bomber." for more information about Female suicide bombers.
military activist supplied the weapons and the explosives for Andalib. Hours before the attack Andalib met with Himouni and Saloum to learn how to detonate the bomb. On Friday April 12, 2002 Andalib was driven to Abu Dis
where she took a taxi to Jerusalem. From there Andalib went to the outside market Mahane Yehuda and detonated the bomb at a bus stop.
Palestinian people
The Palestinian people, also referred to as Palestinians or Palestinian Arabs , are an Arabic-speaking people with origins in Palestine. Despite various wars and exoduses, roughly one third of the world's Palestinian population continues to reside in the area encompassing the West Bank, the Gaza...
female suicide bomber
Female suicide bomber
Though the majority of suicide bombers have been male, female suicide bombers have carried out a number of attacks.-History:Female suicide bombers have been employed in several conflicts, by a variety of organizations, against both military and civilian targets.*In Lebanon on April 9, 1985, Sana'a...
. She killed six people, seven including herself, and injured over forty at a bus stop on Jaffa Road
Jaffa Road
Jaffa Road is one of the longest and oldest streets in Jerusalem. It crosses the city from east to west, from the Old City walls to downtown Jerusalem, the western portal of Jerusalem and the Jerusalem-Tel Aviv highway. It is lined with shops, businesses and restaurants...
outside of the open-air Mahane Yehuda market in Jerusalem on April 12, 2002. Rather than wearing an explosive belt, Andalib carried a black handbag that contained three plastic pipes filled with explosives and nails connected to a battery. She belonged to the Tanzim
Tanzim
Tanzim is a militant faction of the Palestinian Fatah movement.-Overview:The Tanzim militia, founded in 1995 to counter Palestinian Islamism, is widely considered to be an armed offshoot of Fatah with its own leadership structure...
as well as the al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades
Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades
The al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades is a coalition of Palestinian nationalist militias in the West Bank. The group's name refers to the al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem...
. In her final video she was dressed in black and holding a Koran while she stated that she was about to die as a symbol of the woman's fight against occupation, and that it was her desire to finish the work that had been started by her two cousins, and to honor the memory of Wafa Idris
Wafa Idris
Wafa Idris was the first female suicide bomber in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. At the time of her death, Idris was a 28 year old, divorced Red Crescent paramedic. She lived in the Am'ari Refugee Camp in Ramallah.-Early life:...
, Darine Abu Aisha, and Ayat al-Akhras
Ayat al-Akhras
Ayat al-Akhras was the third and youngest Palestinian female suicide bomber who, at age 18 , killed herself and two Israeli civilians on March 29, 2002 by detonating explosives belted to her body...
. Two Chinese construction workers were killed in the attack.
Background
Andalib lived in the village of Beit Fajar, sixteen kilometers south of BethlehemBethlehem
Bethlehem is a Palestinian city in the central West Bank of the Jordan River, near Israel and approximately south of Jerusalem, with a population of about 30,000 people. It is the capital of the Bethlehem Governorate of the Palestinian National Authority and a hub of Palestinian culture and tourism...
, where her entire family clan the Takatka resides. Her two cousins Iman Takatka, age seventeen, and Samia Takatka, age twenty-one, were captured by Israeli security forces as they prepared to carry out suicide bombings at Jerusalem's Mahane Yehuda market. The girls were taken to an Israeli prison and in response to the attempted attack their family's home was demolished by the IDF
Israel Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces , commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal , are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces, air force and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel...
, Andalib witnessed this. She became increasingly fascinated with other female suicide bombers especially Wafa Idris
Wafa Idris
Wafa Idris was the first female suicide bomber in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. At the time of her death, Idris was a 28 year old, divorced Red Crescent paramedic. She lived in the Am'ari Refugee Camp in Ramallah.-Early life:...
and Ayat al-Akhras
Ayat al-Akhras
Ayat al-Akhras was the third and youngest Palestinian female suicide bomber who, at age 18 , killed herself and two Israeli civilians on March 29, 2002 by detonating explosives belted to her body...
. After Ayat's death Andalib, along with the other female members of her family, traveled to Deaishe refugee camp to pay their respects to her family. There she met Youssef Moughrabil a leader of Tanzim
Tanzim
Tanzim is a militant faction of the Palestinian Fatah movement.-Overview:The Tanzim militia, founded in 1995 to counter Palestinian Islamism, is widely considered to be an armed offshoot of Fatah with its own leadership structure...
in Bethlehem
Bethlehem
Bethlehem is a Palestinian city in the central West Bank of the Jordan River, near Israel and approximately south of Jerusalem, with a population of about 30,000 people. It is the capital of the Bethlehem Governorate of the Palestinian National Authority and a hub of Palestinian culture and tourism...
.
Israeli sources claim that her motivation was "to redeem herself for her alleged extramarital sexual relations with a Fatah operative. According to one version, she even became pregnant with his child." Also see the book: "Army of Roses: Inside the world of the Palestinian suicide bomber." for more information about Female suicide bombers.
The Attack
Youssef Moughrabil, along with Muhataz Muhammed Abdallah Himouni and Marwan Saloum, planned and trained Andalib for the attack. Taleb Amr, known more commonly as Abu Ali, a TanzimTanzim
Tanzim is a militant faction of the Palestinian Fatah movement.-Overview:The Tanzim militia, founded in 1995 to counter Palestinian Islamism, is widely considered to be an armed offshoot of Fatah with its own leadership structure...
military activist supplied the weapons and the explosives for Andalib. Hours before the attack Andalib met with Himouni and Saloum to learn how to detonate the bomb. On Friday April 12, 2002 Andalib was driven to Abu Dis
Abu Dis
Abu Dis is a Palestinian town in the Jerusalem Governorate, bordering Jerusalem. Abu Dis is due east of the Jerusalem municipal border. According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics , the town had a population of approximately 12,100 in mid-year 2006.-Ottoman era:Abu Dis was one of the...
where she took a taxi to Jerusalem. From there Andalib went to the outside market Mahane Yehuda and detonated the bomb at a bus stop.