Martyrdom video
[1] The people in these videos typically sit or stand in front of a black Islamic flag, in their explosive-rigged vehicles (in cases of ISIS, Al-Nusra Front, Imam Bukhari Jamaat, and other Islamist groups), or media (in case of ISIS showing two teen suicide bombers by Al-Jazeera in Afghanistan) or other symbol of their allegiance.
Martyrdom videos are psychological weapons as their primary purpose is to establish validity for their actions, inspire fear in enemies, or spread their ideology for political or religious ambitions.
[5] The call against fitna is suspended in radical fatwas as proclaimed by the martyrdom video of Tanvir HussainI don’t hold any person to be innocent for the slaughter of the Muslim.
The religious justifiability of suicide bombing hinges on its applicability to legitimate jihad, which has changed throughout time.
Martyrdom videos tend to be more elaborate and show different stages of activity than other terrorist media.
[2] Subsequently, military personnel and other victims can piece together informants, collaborators, and techniques based on the propaganda element of the videos.
[10] Martyrs videotape themselves giving their reasons for their attack in the hopes of affecting the people of their community or family.
[14] Despite massive losses to Al-Qaeda since 2002, they managed to distribute a seven-minute, professionally edited martyrdom video in the hopes of seeking recruits and snubbing the American war effort.
[11] Humam Khalil Abu Mulal al-Balawi had his martyrdom operation postponed for several days in order to get the necessary footage.
[20] Although filmed insurgents engaged in military actions are usually masked, individuals in martyrdom videos are intentionally identifiable.
[23] Local TV stations may air martyrdom videos, although in Pakistan it is illegal to broadcast them.
After the operation was planned, Abdulmutallab was filmed in a 5-minute martyrdom video, which was produced by a professional team.
He cradles an AK-47, stares into the camera and proclaims that, "some hypocrites say that we are doing this for money- or because of brainwashing- but we are told by Allah to target these pagans," in order to disprove the belief that the families of suicide bombers were paid after the attacks.
[11] Eliciting a reaction is the primary ambition for a suicide bombing; videos make the mission objective.
Many Islamic scholars refuse to accept the religious justifiability of such operations and thus have negative reactions to the videos.
[26] Islamists who seek to become martyrs find motivation and courage to carry out actions from martyrdom videos.
[27] Suicide bombings have high symbolic value, which is represented in their martyrdom videos, and serve as symbols of a just struggle, galvanize popular support, generate financial support for the organization and become a source of new recruits for future suicide missions.
