Includes bibliographical references and index.

Introduction: Suicide bombers in historical and theoretical perspective -- Pt. 1. Insurgents and their strategies. Nationalists and Baathists -- The jihadi Salafis -- Suicide terrorism in the Iraqi insurgency -- Pt. 2. The alchemy of martyrdom: ideology, theology, and mythology of suicide terrorism. The ideology and theology of martyrdom -- Martyrdom mythology in Iraq -- Pt. 3. Martyrs without borders: transnational networks and volunteerism in Iraq. Arab fighters in Iraq -- European Muslims in Iraq -- Implications for theory and policy -- Appendix 1: List of Sunni insurgent groups in Iraq, 2003-2006 -- Appendix 2: Names and nationalities of known suicide bombers in Iraq -- Appendix 3: Zarqawi's men -- Appendix 4: Al Qaeda's evolution in Iraq.