Forces Detain Suspects, Seize Weapons Caches in Iraq

American Forces Press Service

June 22, 2008 - U.S. and Iraqi forces discovered and confiscated weapons caches and captured insurgents during ongoing operations over the past several days in Iraq. In Baghdad today, Iraqi police seized an explosively formed projectile and several machine-gun rounds during operations in the New Baghdad district.

In another operation, police uncovered a weapons cache in New Baghdad consisting of mortar rounds, a rocket, an artillery round, a number of machine-gun rounds, a mortar base plate, a telescopic sight, explosives, a night vision device and a rocket sled. Iraqi soldiers later confiscated several AK-47 rifles, two magazines and a grenade in the Sadr City district.

In other news, the court martial for Alaa "Alex" Mohammad Ali, a contractor charged with aggravated assault, is scheduled to begin today at the Camp Victory courthouse. Ali allegedly stabbed another contractor Feb. 23 at an outpost near Hit, Iraq. This is the first time a civilian is to be tried by court martial under a 2006 amendment to the Uniform Code of Military Justice, Section 552 of the National Defense Authorization Act of Fiscal Year 2007.

In June 21 operations:

-- Iraqi police seized two explosively-formed projectiles during an operation in Adhamiyah, Iraq. Later, a Sons of Iraq leader from Jihad turned in two rocket-propelled grenade rounds, five rocket-propelled grenade boosters and more than 1,600 machine-gun rounds to U.S. soldiers.

-- U.S. soldiers detained a suspected Special Groups criminal during an operation in the Rashid district of southern Baghdad.

-- U.S. and Iraqi soldiers seized a number of weapons caches in Baghdad. The caches contained mortars, mortar and artillery rounds, several AK 47 rifles, two sniper rifles and a light machine gun.

-- U.S. soldiers found weapons and detained a suspect during operations in the Rashid district of southern Baghdad. The cache yielded mortar rounds, a rocket-propelled grenade, mortar tubes, radios, a rifle and other items.

In June 20 operations:

-- Iraqi and coalition forces seized three caches and detained two suspects during operations in Amarah, Iraq. Wiring, cells phones, rocket-propelled grenades, and bomb-making material and other items were discovered during the raids.

-- Five suspected extremists were detained by Iraqi security forces in Amarah. Two of the suspected militants were wearing women's clothing at the time they were detained.

-- U.S. soldiers disrupted efforts by Special Groups criminal to emplace improvised explosive devices, killing six of the suspects and wounding another during a joint operation in eastern Baghdad.

-- Iraqi security forces seized 19 weapons caches during anti-insurgent operations in Amarah. The caches contained hundreds of rocket-propelled grenades, mortar rounds, anti-tank mines, small-arms ammunition, and other ordnance.

-- Iraqi police and U.S. soldiers seized several weapons caches during operations in Baghdad. The caches yielded: explosively formed projectiles, artillery rounds, rifles, mortar rounds, machine guns, pistols, and other ordnance.

-- U.S. soldiers and Iraqi security forces found several weapons caches in Baghdad's Rashid district and detained two suspects.

-- U.S. soldiers captured four suspected bombers during a route-clearance mission south of Tikrit, Iraq. The four individuals were observed digging alongside a road. All tested positive for explosive residue.

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