Bombing Targets Anti-terrorist Group; One Terrorist Killed, Four Detained

American Forces Press Service

Oct. 22, 2007 - The headquarters of a political organization opposed to al Qaeda and other terrorist groups was bombed last night in the Adhamiyah neighborhood on the Iraqi capital's east side, officials reported. An improvised explosive device made with about 35 pounds of homemade explosives was detonated outside the headquarters building of the Adhamiyah Islamic Party in Baghdad. The blast caused no injuries and only minor damage.

Prominent members of the Islamic Party political organization have allied with coalition forces in recent months to oppose terrorist groups operating in Adhamiyah. Officials with the U.S. unit operating in the area said the bombing was most likely a response to the increased pressure put on terrorist groups by the Islamic Party.

When soldiers from 3rd Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, responded to the bombing, a guard at the building tipped them off to the location of a sizable insurgent weapons cache in a residence nearby. The guard was one of the hundreds of new Iraqi security volunteers who have been hired and trained by coalition forces to provide security at critical sites throughout Adhamiyah.

The cache consisted of a rocket-propelled-grenade launcher, an RPK machine gun, two 130 mm projectiles, three 100 mm projectiles, a sniper scope, detonation cord, ski masks and ammunition.

"This shows that Adhamiyah residents will not be deterred or intimidated from taking a stand against terrorists who threaten the safety of their community," said Army Lt. Col. David Oclander, executive officer for 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division.

In other developments, Iraqi special operation forces advised by U.S. Special Forces soldiers in New Baghdad on Oct. 21 detained two officials of Jaysh al-Mahdi's Habibiyah office who are accused of conducting criminal activity despite Jaysh al-Mahdi leader Muqtada al-Sadr's request to cease such activity.

One of the detained terrorists, the Habibiyah's office director, is believed to be the commander of three extremist companies and lead a group of 50 terrorist cell members. His group is allegedly responsible for terrorizing local Iraqi citizens in Habibiyah, Baladiyat and Baghdad al-Jadida. He also is suspected of supplying weapons, including a truckload of Katyusha rockets, to terrorists and conducting multiple mortar and improvised-explosive-device attacks against Iraqi and coalition forces.

The second detained terrorist, who is the head of the political department in Habibiyah office, is believed to lead 10 terrorist cell members responsible for terrorizing local citizens and attacking Iraqi and coalition forces.

While approaching the target house, the assault force was confronted by an individual who exhibited hostile intent with an AK-47 assault rifle. In response to the threat, the assault force engaged the terrorist, killing him.

Elsewhere, Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers on Oct. 20 uncovered a cache of IED-making materials in Adl, a western neighborhood in the Iraqi capital, based on a tip given by an Iraqi citizen.

An Iraqi approached a joint coalition forces patrol made up of soldiers from Company A, 1st Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment, and Company 3, 3rd Battalion, 5th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, and provided information about insurgents constructing IEDs out of a business in Adl.

The insurgents were reported to have plans to use the material in attacks against coalition forces on Oct. 30, the anniversary of Saddam Hussein's execution. A cordon-and-search operation was conducted, materials were confiscated, and two suspects were taken into custody.

(From Multinational Force Iraq and Multinational Corps Iraq news releases.)