Meet the Islamic State's Latest Suicide Bomber: Elderly, Frail, Partially Toothless Man Looking for 'the Way to Paradise

The Islamic State group has boasted about its use of children — the so-called Cubs of the Caliphate — to carry out violent attacks and killings. Now the terrorist organization has apparently reached out to the elderly demographic to fill its ranks.

A new video believed to be from the Islamic State in Iraq shows an elderly jihadist identified as Abu Taybah al-Ansari explaining why he chose to carry out a suicide bombing. The video also purports to show how the old man drives the bomb-rigged vehicle to its target for detonation.

The elderly man said a suicide mission was "the way to Paradise." (Image source: Islamic State video via MEMRI)

The Middle East Media Research Institute on Monday posted translated excerpts of the testimonial he gave before setting out for his mission.

The frail, fully gray-bearded and partially toothless man said he was inspired by his brother who told him that striking American Humvees and other vehicles was “the way to Paradise” and urged him to “strike them" and "blow them up.”

“I convinced myself that I should wage jihad. I thought about waging jihad with a weapon or using whatever, but I was not satisfied with that. The only thing that could satisfy me was sacrificing myself for Allah,” the jihadist said.

He said that, “Allah willing,” he would carry out his “martyrdom operation” using “all my courage and all my strength.”

Strength appeared to be in short supply, however, in the following scene in which he appeared to be barely able to climb from the back seat to the front driver’s seat.

Moments before his vehicle, seen in the distance, blew up, his comrades-in-arms shouted “Allahu akbar,” that is, “Allah is the greatest.”