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IN NORTHERN SYRIA — A Texan who says he offered to work as an English teacher for the Islamic State and was captured earlier this month in Syria by U.S.-backed forces said he witnessed executions and crucifixions during the more than three years he spent with the terrorist group.

But 34-year-old Warren Christopher Clark, who is being held in Kurdish custody, told NBC News in an exclusive interview that he does not regret throwing in his lot with ISIS. No Kurdish security were present during the interview.

“I wanted to go see exactly what the group was about, and what they were doing,” he said. “Of course I saw the videos. I think with theand said he was detained nearly a dozen times for refusing to take up arms.

Each time, Clark said, ISIS let him go and he suffered no abuse at their hands. But he admitted offering to work for them as an English teacher.

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NBC News reported last year that Clark's résumé was found at a house in Iraq and was later obtained by the Program on Extremism at George Washington University. In a cover letter, Clark said he was hoping to obtain a job teaching English to students in territory seized by ISIS.

"I was born and raised in the United States and have always loved teaching others and learning from others as well.