During the occupation, the blogger identified himself only as an "independent historian"; other journalists identified him as male. He said he considers himself a historian above all and that he is not a journalist. He began blogging after the U.S.-led invasion in 2003, but his previous blog has not been identified. He said he has used various aliases and identities to gather information and has received repeated online death threats from ISIL. In an interview with "The New Yorker", he said he feigns to be a devout Muslim who is enthusiastic about sharia law to gain the trust of extremists. He described ISIL militants as "a group of bonkers [individuals], who could be guided in any direction."