Something else that should stop. Iraq approves new payscale for suicide bombers Last Updated Thu Apr 4 21:30:02 2002 NABLUS, WEST BANK - Iraq has upped the reward to the families of suicide bombers to $25,000(US) from $10,000, which may explain the dramatic increase in these attacks in Israel during the past month.

Relatives of suicide bombers now get $25,000, up from $10,000 An Associated Press report Thursday said Iraq approved the new pay scale for suicide bombers at a conference in Baghdad on March 12. The new pay scale calls for $10,000 to be given to families of gunmen and others who fights Israelis, while the relatives of suicide bombers will receive $25,000.

Since Iraq increased the reward money a month ago there have been 12 suicide-bomb attacks inside Israel, including one that killed 25 Israelis, most of them elderly Jews blown up as they attended a Passover dinner.

In the past 18 months of fighting in the Middle East, 55 Palestinians have killed themselves in suicide attacks on Israeli citizens.

In a speech at the White House Thursday, U.S. President George Bush called the suicide bombers "murderers." He said governments such as Iraq that reward relatives of suicide bombers "are guilty of soliciting murder of the worst kind."

The wire service report described the case of Jamal Nasser, a 23-year-old architecture student who killed herself when she tried to ram a bus carrying Israeli settlers.

The student's mother said she received a cheque for $10,000 from Iraq and a $5,000 cheque from Iran. She said she intends to use the reward money to buy an apartment.

Written by CBC News Online staff