A literature review of suicide terrorism uncovered 5 published empirical studies describing data collected from potential suicide terrorists or the surviving friends & families of deceased terrorists. The many discrepancies uncovered between suicide terrorists & other suicides on key factors suggest terrorists are not truly suicidal & should not be viewed as a subgroup of the general suicide population. Nevertheless, methods developed by suicidologists will help increase understanding of the factors underpinning suicide terrorism. (75 refs.)