Charles the First of England, illegally executed by by his parliament.

The Irish martyrs from the 1921 uprising.

Likewise, those martyred in the 1690's attacks on the Catholics by the incumbent King of England, Prins Willem van Oranje.

The people killed in the Bloody Sunday Massacre of 1970.

These are only ones that I personally am aware of from my personal experience in life; it is not that they begin as martyrs, but that they become revered over the years in stories passed between father and son. Over time, they imbued with a heroism they probably didn't posses, but memory (and story telling) embellishes them with time.

The guys crashing the jets into the WTC, regardless of their evil intent, will be feted not only for any religious meaning, but also for being the first to do it.

One of the few remaining Mk1 owners... #00015