Diya Muhammad Hussein, a sixteen year-old Iraqi boy, spoke with reporters for Der Spiegel, online, about his desire to kill American troops and his dream of being able to immigrate to America. One night, the boy planted an explosive in the road and hid so he could be ready to detonate it but when American military vehicles drove over the explosives nothing happened. he tried again the next day but abandoned the attempt when he saw Iraq soldiers walking with the Americans, he did not want to kill any of his countrymen, just the occupiers. A few hours later while in an Internet cafe that was being monitored by the police he got into an argument with the man who got him to try killing Americans that was overheard by the police.
Diya calls himself a “muhahedeen,” a freedom fighter. After being captured in the town of Rawah, he confessed and revealed the names of accomplices. He also revealed the hiding place of many explosive devices. He began his career of “terrorism” early in life and he was thrilled at the chance to fight for the Muslim religion. Six of them are now awaiting trial in courts run by the US-led coalition. Diya is now housed in a building which has a contingent of American soldiers so he is interacting with them. Diya still hates the American occupiers, but if offered a visa to America he would gladly take it. A further irony is that Diya is being guarded by his brother who is now an Iraqi policeman. He has thoughts of becoming a policeman himself if the dream trip to America never happens.
Such is the confusing life of an Iraqi teenager in the year, 2007.
