A suicide bomber really believes in what they are dying for and that is the point. With the disciples the fact that they were eye witnesses to the central point of their religion is unique. Either they saw Jesus rise from the dead or they were lying. If they were lying, then why would they be willing to die for a lie? Just doesn't add up in my book.
The disciples are characters in the Resurrection story. That their lives (and deaths) are accurately recorded history is also an open question, as was pointed out above [0].