SUGAR LAND, Texas – The Houstonian who applied for a job with the Islamic State group and was captured in Syria recently spoke about his experience in an exclusive interview with NBC News Chief Foreign Correspondent Richard Engel.
Warren Christopher Clark graduated from the University of Houston in 2008 with a political science degree. He went on to be a substitute teacher in Sugar Land.
In the interview, he admitted he voluntarily entered Islamic State group territory three years ago.
“I wanted to actually go see exactly what the group was about and what they were doing,” Clark said. “I saw some people being executed publicly; I saw some crucifixions. You know, that’s just normal life there.”
Clark included his experience as a substitute teacher on his resume to work for Islamic State group.
“I am looking to get a position teaching English to students in the Islamic state,” Clark wrote in part. The resume was recovered in Iraq by “Program For Extremism” workers from George Washington University.
“I was born and raised in the United States and have always loved teaching,” Clark also wrote.
Clark said he never fought for the Islamic State, but he lived among Islamic State group for three years. He was caught by Kurdish forces while trying to escape the shrinking Islamic State group territory.
When pressed about why he joined Islamic State group if he knew they were responsible for brutal killings, he responded in part: “I think, you know, with the beheadings, OK that's execution. You know, I'm from the United States. From Texas. They like to execute people too.”
KPRC was unable to reach Clark’s family for comment.