Troops in Iraq Kill Four, Capture Dozens, Seize Weapons

American Forces Press Service

Feb. 24, 2008 - Coalition and Iraqi forces killed four suspected terrorists, detained 56 others and destroyed weapons in Iraq over the past three days, military officials said.
During operations in Iraq today:

-- Coalition forces nabbed nine suspected terrorists during operations in Tikrit and east of Hamim al Alil targeting suspects involved in foreign-terrorist smuggling for the al Qadea in Iraq network in Mosul.

-- Troops detained four wanted suspects in an area in Mosul believed to be a safe haven for foreign terrorists involved in recent attacks on Iraqi and coalition forces. The location also reportedly is connected to a suspect detained Feb. 19 for his association with a senior-level terrorist smuggler in the city, military officials said.

-- Coalition troops captured an alleged al Qaeda in Iraq member involved in planning suicide attacks in Baghdad. The suspect reportedly had arranged to receive a suicide vest in order to attack a group of concerned-local-citizen recruits. Ground forces detained an additional terrorist suspect in the operation.

-- Troops nabbed one suspected terrorist east of Khan Bani Sad at an alleged al Qaeda in Iraq meeting location associated with the suicide network in the Diyala River Valley. Nearby, coalition forces directed a fixed-wing airstrike on a house assessed to be rigged with explosives, military officials said.

-- Coalition forces south of Samarra captured an alleged associate of an al Qaeda in Iraq network operating in Anbar province. Reports indicate the suspect is connected to a terrorist leader associated with links to senior terrorists operating both inside and outside Iraq and who is involved in al Qaeda media and propaganda operations.

In operations around Iraq yesterday:

-- Coalition troops killed a suspected terrorist east of Samarra in Karwi who was later identified as an al Qaeda in Iraq associate of the Baqouba suicide-bombing network, military officials said. Coalition aircraft killed two additional suspected terrorists, and ground forces detained seven others and seized bomb-making materials in the operation.

-- Troops killed a wanted terrorist and captured another during an afternoon raid in Baghdad. Both wanted individuals were reportedly close associates of the senior al Qaeda in Iraq leader of networks operating in the Iraqi capital, military officials said. In a separate raid in Baghdad, coalition forces detained two alleged car-bomb-network operatives.

-- Coalition forces seized five suspected terrorists in Mosul during an operation targeting an associate of a senior-level foreign-terrorist smuggler and al Qaeda in Iraq leader in the region, military officials said.

-- Troops northwest of Tarmiyah nabbed a wanted individual believed to be involved in the Karkh al Qaeda in Iraq network and detained two additional suspects. Reports indicate the prime target had been inactive for several months but recently resumed a role in rebuilding the network following a series of recent coalition operations that degraded the cell.

-- Coalition forces detained two suspects in Tikrit, including an alleged al Qaeda in Iraq associate involved in weapons smuggling. The suspect allegedly transferred weapons recently from Beiji to Tikrit. Reports also indicate the suspect is connected to foreign terrorist safe houses and a large weapons cache found in a previous operation in the area.

-- Coalition troops detained four suspected terrorists northeast of Samarra near the Hamrin mountains during a multiday operation that took place yesterday and Feb. 22.

In other Feb. 22 operations:

-- Troops west of Samarra captured an alleged al Qaeda in Iraq cell leader involved in the Jazirah network. The suspect allegedly commands a group of 10 to 15 terrorists who conduct attacks in the area. Ground forces detained six others in the operation.
-- Troops in Mosul captured an alleged associate of foreign al Qaeda in Iraq leaders believed to be responsible for recent attacks against coalition and Iraqi security forces in the area. Ground forces nabbed two additional suspects in the raid and discovered a weapons cache containing 20 mortar rounds, military officials said.

-- Coalition forces detained three suspected terrorists on the west side of Mosul, including an alleged associate of numerous foreign al Qaeda in Iraq leaders in Samarra. Reports indicate the suspect moved to Mosul from Samarra after coalition and Iraqi forces operations disrupted Samarra's al Qaeda in Iraq leadership, military officials said.

-- Coalition forces captured a suspected Iranian-trained "special groups" militia operative and detained one other suspect during operations to disrupt criminal networks in Baghdad. As an intelligence operative, the targeted individual reportedly aided special groups attacks on Iraqi and coalition forces, military officials said.

(Compiled from Multinational Force Iraq and Multinational Corps Iraq new releases.)

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