Former Al Qaida members take up painting houses for a living

Baghdad: After years of carrying weapons, dozens of Iraqi elements who were involved in Al Qaida have turned professional painters for a living.

Now they carry paint brushes and paint houses in bright colours in Al Saydia, Al Baya'a, Al Qadissia and Al Yarmouk neighbourhoods in Baghdad.

Abu Saher told Gulf News: "I have lived in Al Qadissia neighbourhood for 40 years. I know personally all youth who were involved with Al Qaida over the past two years and I have known them since their birth."

He continued: "A few weeks ago Fakheri, Uday, Abdul Salam and Mahdi used to carry weapons but now they have turned painters after buying painting tools and equipment. This is a positive development and the most important is that they do not use this job to facilitate kidnapping and killing people."

Al Saydia, a militant hotspot, under the full control of Al Qaida, witnessed wide assassination operations that have never been seen in other neighbourhoods. Umm Raseel, Al Saydia resident, told Gulf News: "That is true. I know one person who was an Al Qaida member and now he works as a painter. I do not see others who are doing this. But I have heard that Al Qaida elements are working as painters in other neighbourhoods too."

Winter schedule

Many Iraqi families used to paint their houses before winter. This lessened in previous years due to concerns with the security and economic situation.

Haja Badriya told Gulf News: "I live in Al Yarmouk neighbourhood and painting houses was almost like a habit. Sometimes we used to paint our houses twice a year. Currently I hear that painters paint houses at cheap prices. I have also heard from my sons and grandchildren that many youth in our neighbourhood are working as house painters after being Al Qaida members. Thank God for this change, may God protect them."

According to some local information, Iraqis previously involved with Al Qaida opened painting shops and started their work weeks ago.

Jabbar Tuma, an Iraqi journalist and researcher, told Gulf News: "There are sets of possibilities to explain this act; maybe this is an organised and arranged way to avoid the Iraqi security forces and perhaps it is a way to gather information. Yet there's a possibility that Al Qaida's weakening in Baghdad forced its elements to engage in civil jobs. I also think that many young Iraqis joined armed groups without knowing they were part of Al Qaida."