Can They Really Be This Irrational?

I really can't see how killing this possibly benefits the terrorists. Are they really this irrational?

Hassan is a martyr who could really help transform public opinion in Britain and Europe, and to a lesser extent, in the US. This article suggests the Hassan slaying may also be the beginning of a transformation of public opinion in Iraq. It will certainly have political repercussions different from the repercussions of previous killings of Westerners.