The difference between "a suicide bomber" and an "Attacker".

What is the difference between the word "Attacker" and the word "Suicide Bomber". Obviously for the NYTimes this is exactly the same. Not for me! To me a suicide Bomber is always worse. So why does the NYTimes put a title like this "Attacker Kills 4 Sunni Sheiks Who Aided U.S." and then start the first sentence of the article like this "A suicide bomber on Monday assassinated ...". Sometimes I just do not understand the totally biased, old fashioned Media, whose freedoms of speech - we should not forget - depend on very democratic values. Free speech does not exist in a place like Iran. I do not understand why the NYTimes does not more vigorously defend the very basic and simple values that make it possible to do her business?