Iraqi Police Capture Terrorists; Bodies Found in Vehicle

WASHINGTON, Sept. 29, 2006 – Iraqi national police detained eight suspected terrorists and seized a weapons cache in western Baghdad Sept. 26, U.S. military officials reported. Police officers from 3rd Battalion, 5th Brigade, 2nd National Police Division, were attacked by terrorists using small-arms fire from the Al Kur Mosque and requested assistance from Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers from 5th Battalion, 1st Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, and 8th Squadron, 10th Calvary Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division. The soldiers set up a cordon while the Iraqi police entered the mosque.

Inside the mosque, the police discovered two hostages and detained eight suspected terrorists. They also found assault rifles, a hand grenade and ammunition.

The suspects were detained for questioning, and the munitions were destroyed by an explosive ordnance disposal team. Iraqi citizen was killed and four police vehicles were destroyed in the attack, officials said.

In other news from Iraq, soldiers from 5th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, found nine bodies inside a vehicle loaded with explosives in Baghdad's Mansour district on Sept. 26. Cause of death was not reported.

The Iraqi soldiers removed the bodies, and an explosive ordnance disposal team destroyed the vehicle.

In a separate incident, Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers from 3rd Battalion, 16th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, detained two suspected terrorists trying to place a makeshift bomb on the side of a road in Najaf on Sept. 26. The suspects were handed over to Iraqi police for further questioning.

In addition, elements of 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, attached to Multinational Division Baghdad, discovered a large cache of mortar rounds while performing combat operations in northwestern Baghdad this week. The munitions were destroyed by an explosive ordnance disposal team.