BANGLADESH INSTITUTE OF INTERNATIONAL AND STRATEGIC STUDIES

UNDERSTANDING THE KEY DRIVERS OF FEMALE INVOLVEMENT IN TERRORISM: A CASE STUDY OF NEO-JAMAAT-UL-MUJAHIDEEN BANGLADESH (NEO-JMB) AND LIBERATION TIGERS OF TAMIL ELAM (LTTE)

Author: Tasmiha Tabassum Sadia

DOI Link: https://www.doi.org/10.56888/BIISSj2022v43n4a5

ABSTRACT

The participation of female militants in terrorism has generated curiosity as well as challenges in academia and policy making because of prevalent perceptions of women's nature and place in the society. Understanding the dynamic variables behind women’s participation in various terrorist organisations is essential, given the growing presence of them in these groups. Such involvement raises severe concern for security agencies, as, in general, women turn out to be less suspected and hold the capacity to breach conventional security procedures. Notable studies by academics and practitioners on female militancy demonstrate that there is an interplay of many ideological and motivational variables that promote such involvement. In the South Asian context, which has historically been a problematic area due to insurgency and terrorist movements, this study tries to analyse the important characteristics crucial to women joining terrorist organisations. The research uses two case studies from South Asia that represent somewhat comparable socio-cultural backgrounds to investigate the drivers of female involvement in militancy, Neo-Jamaat-Ul- Mujahideen Bangladesh (Neo-JMB) in Bangladesh and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in Sri Lanka. The paper evaluates the factors contributing to female terrorism participation by contrasting the two terrorist groups using a qualitative research methodology.