BAGHDAD — Not every suicide bomber gets a second chance at life. Either he detonates himself, killing others along with himself, or he gets arrested and is executed. Usaid Barho, a 14-year-old Syrian and would-be suicide bomber for the Islamic State (IS), appears to have gotten this rare second change after sparing the lives of the Shiite worshippers he had been sent to kill at the al-Bayah Mosque in Baghdad.

“I was supposed to detonate myself inside the mosque. That's what they wanted me to do,” Usaid told Al-Monitor. “Three men from the Islamic State drove me to the main street near the mosque. Two left while one guy accompanied me to a place close to the entrance. He told me not to detonate until he was far enough away.”

Usaid walked to the entrance, where he met Sayyed Ali, a policeman assigned to search people for explosives. Ali, in his late 30s, explained to Al-Monitor how the whole thing happened.

“As he came closer, I tried to search him. He grabbed my hand and said, ‘I’m a suicide bomber. I’m a Muslim and don’t have any intention to kill Muslims. I want to go back home to see my mother. Can you help me?’ I told him, ‘I’ll do whatever you want. I’ll even take you to the airport, but please sit down and let us defuse the bomb.’ I called by bosses, and they came and took him.”