By Jess McCabe | 29 November 2006, 08:44

A teacher in Afghanistan was disemboweled and then torn apart with his legs tied to motorbikes because he taught female students, the Independent reports today.

Since 46-year-old Mohammed Halim’s death, the female director of education in the area has received deaththreats as well.

Her gender, as well as her refusal to send girls home from school, has made her a particular source of hatred for Islamist zealots.

“I think they killed him that way to frighten us, otherwise why make a man suffer so much? Mohammed Halim and his family were good friends of ours and we are very, very upset by what has happened. He came to me when the threats first began and asked what he should do. I told him to move somewhere safe. I think he was trying to arrange that when they came and took him,” she said.