Professor of Death

Job: Contractor
Business: Suicide Bombers
Clients: Iraqi insurgent groups

More than 30 human bombs have been trained by him. Most were foreigners – Arabs who "come a long way from their countries, spending a lot of money and with high hopes. They want martyrdom immediately." Sometimes he will videotape the climax of the operation on behalf of the bomber's sponsors.

After he is contacted by insurgents who want a suicide bomber, he trains and equips them – and finally, sends them on their lethal mission. He becomes their father and tutor; they spend the last weeks of their lives in his care, usually in a safe house. He has several. About his current trainee:

“You can't imagine how excited and happy he is. He can't stop smiling and laughing, even singing. He is sure he is going to paradise, and he just can't wait."

Even the family is involved. Said his 9 year old son: "Daddy, I want to be a martyr. Can you get me an explosive belt?" He didn’t’ equip his own son but he “recently taught the child how to make roadside bombs and how to fashion a rudimentary rocket launcher out of metal tubes. He is so proficient at facilitating suicide bombings that he says his own brother and sister have asked to be considered for "martyrdom operations.”

More and more Iraqis are volunteering for suicide operations but insurgent groups prefer to use the foreigners. "Iraqis are fighting for their country's future, so they have something to live for.”

His dealings with jihadist groups have left him suspicious about their long-term goals in Iraq. "I've had many conversations with them, and I keep asking, 'What is your vision?'" he says. "They never have a straight answer." Link. Picture: Times/ Yuri Kozyrev