The Aliwhite(sp?) cult in the time of Saladin is sometimes given as a model for the modern human ordinance used in the Middle East. The origin of the word assassin is traced back to them. Perhaps they are the Shia related cult that others referred to.

I agree with those who suggest that the normal raiding warfare of the Middle East was not a precursor of the current human ordinance attacks. They are in fact the opposite where weak targets are hit followed by a quick retreat. Where the analogy might fit with the human ordinance attack is the belief that exploding oneself in the presence of an enemy is a ticket to paradise, which is, I guess, the ultimate retreat.