This is somewhat incidental, but hasn't religion (in the sense of being subordinate to a church) virtually always been an ideological structure supporting an institution of power? At any rate, this was certainly true of the Catholic Church. Nowadays (in Western Europe for a long time) other ideological systems are replacing religion in this sense even if religious sentiments are still capitalized on from time to time such as in enabling Israelis to feel justified in the violent theft of Palestinian land.
Regarding the precise topic: I suppose having a scholarly study around is handy as it will keep the footnoters happy but it seems to me only a superb perversion by ideology could cause one not to see the blatant fact suicide bombings have a political motive, if a confused one, at their core.
_________________________________________________________________ Share your photos with Windows Live Photos – Free. http://clk.atdmt.com/UKM/go/134665338/direct/01/