"Muriel Degauque, 38, blew herself up last month trying to attack U.S. troops,

Authorities say Degauque carried out an attack Nov. 9 near an American military patrol in Iraq after entering the country from Syria a month ago, and was the only person killed.
Last month, Muriel Degauque committed suicide by blowing herself up in a stupid attack against U.S. troops. Muriel succeeded in being the only casualty. She also acquired the dubious distinction of being the first European convert to Islam to blow herself up. Muriel converted to Islam after marrying her second husband, Issam Goris, seven years her junior, a Belgian of Moroccan origin. Muriel and Issam entered Iraq together and he was killed in still unconfirmed circumstances while trying to set up a separate suicide blow up.

"'She was absolutely normal as a kid,' said Jeannine Samain, who lives a few doors down from the Degauque family home in the shadows of a towering coal pile. 'When it snowed, they would go to the hill together with the sled.'"

She recalled the last time she saw Degauque, eight months ago: 'She was veiled. By that time she would just say 'bonjour' and that was it.'"