Can Anyone Really Martyr Themselves?

I have been perplexed. I am not getting this concept of martyrdom (in the modern jihadi context). I thought I had a firm grasp on the idea. But, somehow in the last decade or so, it seems like so many other words in our language it to has been hijacked, morphed into something else, and since has come to mean something else. If one were to look back at the origins of Christian martyrdom, (A.D. third century) it was derived from a Greek word meaning to bear witness. Christians during these Roman times were to renounce their monotheistic beliefs in favor of the polytheistic teachings of Rome or be put to death by crucifixion or perhaps be fed to animals for show. There are surprisingly similar origins in the Islamic faith where the word for martyr is loosely translated as "shahid", literally taken to mean witness. To look at the early stories of shahidic figures in Islamic history one would see that these "martyrs" died at the hands of evil caliphs or polytheistic leaders of the Middle East, (see Sumaya bint Kammat).
So here we have it, people inspired so vehemently to adhere to their faiths that would rather suffer the ultimate fate than renounce them. And in all cases these martyrs suffer and died at the hands of others. In lies the conundrum, "at the hands of others". These current jihadi wanna-be's proclaim their own "marytr" status, and die at their own hands. Which would then make null and void their marytr status according to all widely held religions, including Islam. For you see, taking one's own life to make a point, however noble their warped minds believe themselves to be, does not qualify one for martyrdom. Instead it qualifies these cowardly killers as temporary stains on the pages of history.
True martyrs throughout history do not necessarily seek martyrdom, although it can be argued that they choose it. But, again, it is not at their own hands, and it certainly does not cause any harm but to themselves. For an inspiring story of two marytrs in Christain history see the story of Latimer and Ridley (recounted in Bradbury's Farenheit 451). As these two excommunicated reformists were led to their respective pyres Latimer spoke these famous words to Ridley shortly before they were set ablaze:

"Be of good comfort, Master Ridley, and play the man; we shall this day light such a candle. By God’s grace, in England, as I trust shall never be put out."