Human Weapon

On 11 September 2001, America was brutally confronted with the phenomenon of the suicide attack. In HUMAN WEAPON, the history is outlined of this effective weapon that can be made with simple technology and without an army. On 18 April 1983, it was employed for the first time in Beirut, when a truck with 1000 kilos of explosives drove into the American embassy. A woman who survived the attack tells about that fatal day, that heralded an era of new warfare. This well-documented film provides a lot of information on this brand of terrorism. An exiled religious student tells about the Iranian Bassiji, who were trained as martyrs for the Islamic revolution. In camps eleven- and twelve-year-old children were brainwashed and tens of thousands died in the war against Iraq. A sign in the streets of Iran still reads: ‘Martyrs are the symbol of Iran’s strength’. Several countries are successively visited, such as Sri Lanka, which also has a long history of suicide attacks. The head of the political branch of Hezbollah, Sheik Malek Wehbe, is introduced and Hamas leader Mohamed M.A. Marzouk explains that the suicide attacks are a reaction to the Israelian killing of Palestinians. In a confidential Hamas training film, we see how civilians are being indoctrinated and how people are incited to join the jihad. A man whose suicide attempt has failed explains why he did it: he had nothing to lose.