A bomb strapped to his abdomen, Rafat Moqadi walked into a Tel Aviv restaurant and saw a woman dining with her two little girls. "Seeing that, I decided not to carry out the operation. I couldn't do it," he said.

Was Mr. Moqadi's decision an act of humaneness or did he lack a sufficient devotion to the jihad doctrine? It may never be known if the following is just jailhouse bravado, but Mr. Moqadi's comments confirm the beliefs held by committed jihadists. And, these beliefs have their origin in the Qur'an.

Yet, Moqadi said he longed for what he believes awaits a suicide bomber in the hereafter -- God's reward and a special place in heaven for martyrs. "He has a life in paradise...He doesn't die."(*)

A rare jailhouse interview with the would-be suicide bomber revealed a common thread running through the rising worldwide phenomenon: Most attackers are driven not by poverty or ignorance, but by a lethal mix of nationalism, zealotry and humiliation.

But religion is only part of the picture. Moqadi said that wasn't his motivation.

Mr. Moqadi claims the main reason for his bombing attempt was to resist the Israeli occupation. If religion wasn't the motivating factor then why did he long to become a martyr, where "a special place in heaven" is reserved? Mr. Moqadi clearly understands what the Qur'an states and his paraphrase (*) of Sura 3 verse 169 is proof of that.

"And reckon not those who are killed in Allah's way as dead; nay, they are alive (and) are provided sustenance from their Lord" [3:169]
His last-second doubt in no way invalidates the Qur'anic dictums towards jihad.

Hat tip - Jihad Watch

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