Incident Summary:
08/24/2008: On Sunday, between 2000 and 2030, in Zaydan, Al Anbar, Iraq, a suicide bomber detonated an improvised explosive device near the home of a Sunni Sahwa Council leader who was holding a banquet celebrating the release of his son from the Camp Bucca detention center three days earlier, killing 19 Sahwa Council paramilitary members, 11 civilians, wounding up to 42 other people, and damaging the residence. Although no group claimed responsibility, guests reported that the son had argued with Islamic State of Iraq members while in detention possibly leading to this reprisal attack.
Overview
GTD ID:
200808240022
When:
2008-08-24
Country:
Iraq
Region:
Middle East & North Africa
Province/administrative
region/u.s. state:
Al Anbar
City:
Zaydan
Location Details:
The attack took place in Zaydan.
What
Attack Information
Type of Attack () |
Bombing/Explosion |
Successful Attack? () |
Yes |
Target Information ()
Target Type: Terrorists/Non-state Militia |
Name of Entity |
Sahwa Council |
Specific Description |
The home of a Sahwa Council leader |
Nationality of Target |
Iraq |
Additional Information
Hostages |
No |
Ransom |
No |
Property Damage |
Yes |
Extent of Property Damage |
Minor (likely < $1 million) |
Value of Property Damage |
Unknown |
How
Weapon Information
Type |
Sub-type |
Explosives |
Suicide (carried bodily by human being) |
Weapon Details |
An improvised explosive device was used by a suicide bomber in the attack. |
Additional Information
Suicide Attack? | Yes |
Part of Multiple Incident? | No |
Criterion 1 () |
Yes |
Criterion 2 () |
Yes |
Criterion 3 () |
Yes |
Doubt Terrorism Proper () |
No |
Additional Information |
The most recent available sources listed the fatalities for this attack from 21 to 30, and the injuries for this attack from11 to 42, so the majority casualty figures have been used in order to preserve statistical accuracy in the database. |
Who
Perpetrator Statistics
Number of Perpetrators |
1 |
Number of Captured Perpetrators |
0 |
Casualty Information
Total Number of Casualties |
31 Fatalities / 42 Injured |
Total Number of Fatalities |
31 |
Number of U.S. Fatalities |
0 |
Number of Perpetrator Fatalities |
1 |
Total Number of Injured |
42 |
Number of U.S. Injured |
0 |
Number of Perpetrators Injured |
0 |
Sources
Sources
National Counterterrorism Center, "Nineteen Paramilitary Members, Eight Civilians, Three Children Killed, Forty-Two People Wounded in Suicide IED Attack by Suspected ISI in Zaydan, Al Anbar, Iraq," Worldwide Incidents Tracking System (December 11, 2009). |
Aswat al-Iraq, "Baghdad Suicide Blast Leaves 21 Killed, 12 Injured," LexisNexis Academic, Aswat al-Iraq, August 25, 2008. |
Deutsche Press-Agentur, "Suicide Bomber Kills 21, Wounds 12 at Banquet West of Baghdad," LexisNexis Academic, Deutsche Press-Agentur, August, 18, 2008. |
Criteria
Criteria 1
The act must be aimed at attaining a political, economic, religious, or social goal. In terms of economic goals, the exclusive pursuit of profit does not satisfy this criterion. It must involve the pursuit of more profound, systemic economic change.
Criterion 2
There must be evidence of an intention to coerce, intimidate, or convey some other message to a larger audience (or audiences) than the immediate victims. It is the act taken as a totality that is considered, irrespective if every individual involved in carrying out the act was aware of this intention. As long as any of the planners or decision-makers behind the attack intended to coerce, intimidate or publicize, the intentionality criterion is met.
Criterion 3
The action must be outside the context of legitimate warfare activities. That is, the act must be outside the parameters permitted by international humanitarian law (particularly the prohibition against deliberately targeting civilians or non-combatants.
Doubt Terrorism Proper
The existence of a "Yes" for "Doubt Terrorism Proper?" records reservation, in the eyes of GTD analysts, that the incident in question is truly terrorism. Such uncertainty, however, was not deemed to be sufficient to disqualify the incident from inclusion into the GTD. Furthermore, such a determination of doubt is subsequently coded by GTD analysts as conforming to one of four possible alternative designations: 1) Insurgency/Guerilla Action; 2) Internecine Conflict Action; 3) Mass Murder; or 4) Purely Criminal Act.
Alternate Designation
The determination of "yes" for "Doubt Terrorism Proper" by GTD analysts is coded as conforming to one of four possible alternative designations: 1) Insurgency/Guerilla Action; 2) Internecine Conflict Action; 3) Mass Murder; or 4) Purely Criminal Act.
Successful Attack
Success of a terrorist strike is defined according to the tangible effects of the attack. For example, in a typical successful bombing, the bomb detonates and destroys property and/or kills individuals, whereas an unsuccessful bombing is one in which the bomb is discovered and defused or detonates early and kills the perpetrators. Success is not judged in terms of the larger goals of the perpetrators. For example, a bomb that exploded in a building would be counted as a success even if it did not, for example, succeed in bringing the building down or inducing government repression.
Type of Attack
This field captures the general method of attack and often reflects the broad class of tactics used. It consists of the following nine categories:
- Assassination
- Armed Assault
- Unarmed Assault
- Bombing/Explosion
- Hijacking
- Hostage taking (Barricade Incident)
- Hostage taking (Kidnapping)
- Facility / Infrastructure Attack
- Unknown
Target Information
This field captures the general type of target. It consists of the following 22 categories:
- Abortion Related
- Airports & Airlines
- Business
- Government (General)
- Government (Diplomatic)
- Educational Institution
- Food or Water Supply
- Journalists & Media
- Maritime (includes Ports and Maritime facilities)
- Military
- NGO
- Other
- Police
- Private Citizens & Property
- Religious Figures/Institutions
- Telecommunication
- Terrorists
- Tourists
- Transportation (other than aviation)
- Unknown
- Utilities
- Violent Political Parties