Citizen Tip Leads to Massive EFP, Explosives Cache

American Forces Press Service

Oct. 26, 2007 - A concerned citizen led coalition forces to the largest cache of explosively formed penetrators ever found in a single location Oct. 23 in a home in Saada village, Iraq, officials reported. EFPs, as the devices are known, are shaped charges designed to pierce even armored vehicles. Officials believe the deadly weapons originate in Iran.

"We knew we had something significant when the home's owner started bragging about how many weapons he had. A find like this helps keep my soldiers' morale up, because they know they've made a difference. It makes them feel good that they are saving soldiers' lives through their work," said Army Capt. Jason Rosenstrauch, B Troop commander, 2nd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment.

This cache included more than 120 fully assembled EFPs and more than 150 copper disks of four different sizes used in making EFPs -- including 12-inch disks, among the largest ever discovered in Iraq. It also included 600-plus pounds of C4 and other explosive materials, 100 mortar rounds of various caliber, about 30 107 mm rockets, two mortar tubes and 20 claymore-type mines.

Coalition forces detained the cache owner in the raid.

Rosenstrauch said the citizens of Khan Bani Saad are working closely with coalition forces to keep insurgents out of the city.

"We have a lot of peace in the city center now," Rosenstrauch said. "We have had (many concerned local citizens) reporting on enemy activity. The people are turning on the insurgents and telling us where they are."

In other recent Iraq operations:

-- Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers grabbed seven suspected al Qaeda terrorists during two separate raids in the southern Doura area of the Iraqi capital Oct. 24. The suspects included five men who were positively identified as terrorist suspects engaged in murders, sniper activities, placing improvised explosive devices, grenade attacks on coalition forces, and displacing Shiia families; one man accused of placing IEDs, forcing people from their homes and murdering women; and another man suspected of financing al Qaeda activities.

-- A tip from a resident led Iraqi national police with the 1st Battalion, 4th Brigade, 1st National Division, to a large weapons cache in the southeast district of New Baghdad in the Iraqi capital Oct. 24.

-- Soldiers from the 4th "Dragon" Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, uncovered a weapons cache and detained a suspected terrorist during ongoing operations in Baghdad's Rashid district Oct. 23. The cache included three 120 mm mortar rounds and wire with a blasting cap. The suspected terrorist is accused of leading a terrorist cell believed to be involved in murders, IED placement and weapons trafficking.

(Compiled from Multinational Corps Iraq news releases.)