Iraqi Forces Detain Suspect Linked to Rocket Attacks

American Forces Press Service

June 29, 2008 - Iraq's Baqubah Emergency Response Force detained a suspected al-Qaida member in Udaim, north of Baghdad, today. The response force conducted the operation to disrupt al-Qaida's movement and decrease the terrorist organization's intimidation attacks on the local Iraqis in the Udaim River Valley area, officials said.

The detained man is believed to be part of a mortar and rocket cell that targets Iraqi security and coalition forces and local citizens, officials said.

During the operation, ground intelligence indicated that two buildings were rigged with homemade bombs and posed a threat to ground forces. The emergency response force cleared the buildings of all occupants before air support fire was requested to destroy the two structures.

In other operations today:

-- Coalition forces in Mosul captured a suspected al-Qaida agent and an additional suspected terrorist. The agent is believed to have close contact with several al-Qaida senior leaders.

-- South of Sharqat, coalition forces detained a suspected terrorist believed to be tied to a bombing network in the area.

-- Coalition forces conducted several operations in Baghdad using information from operations in the area yesterday. They detained five suspected terrorists allegedly tied to the al-Qaida in Iraq network and confiscated propaganda materials.

In operations yesterday:

-- Coalition forces engaged and killed a man who drew a weapon when they entered a building during an operation targeting a leader of an al-Qaida propaganda cell in Baghdad. They engaged and killed another suspected terrorist when they perceived hostile intent from his failure to follow coalition forces' instructions, officials said. Six suspects were detained when they fled to nearby homes, including a man believed to be the targeted leader.

-- During another operation in Baghdad, coalition forces captured a wanted man believed to conspire with al-Qaida leaders.

-- In Baghdad's Rashid district, members of the 5th Brigade, 2nd Iraqi National Police Division, found rockets, boxes of plastic explosives, homemade bombs, AK-47 assault rifles, rounds of 7.62 mm ammunition, a 120 mm mortar round, rocket-propelled grenades, a PKC machine gun and a sniper rifle.

-- South of Mosul in Sharqat, two men refused to comply with instructions and warnings, including warning shots. Coalition forces engaged them, killing both. One was identified as a wanted terrorist who was part of a bombing network. Eight suspected terrorists were detained in the same operation, including a wanted man who identified himself to coalition forces. Two others admitted to playing a role in the terrorist cell.

-- Southwest of Mosul in Bulayj, coalition forces captured a suspected leader in the network who is believed to have ties to al-Qaida senior leaders.

-- Iraqi and coalition forces observed an armed man on a roof in Kirkuk. The forces perceived hostile intent when the man quickly moved his weapon into a confrontational position. Iraqi and coalition forces engaged and killed the armed man.

In operations on June 27:

-- Coalition forces in Mosul captured an alleged leader of an illegal terrorist "court," the third such suspected leader to be detained in the last three weeks. The suspect also is believed to oversee financial matters and the movement of suicide bombers. Two additional suspects were detained.

-- Iraqi soldiers with the 34th Brigade, 9th Iraqi Army Division, seized a rocket-propelled grenade, a rocket tube and six AK-47 assault rifle magazines in Baghdad's Sadr City district.

-- In the same area, Iraqi soldiers with the 3rd Brigade, 1st Iraqi Army Division, found munitions on the roof of a house. The cache included an RPG propellant charge, a flare pistol, a 7 mm pistol, body-armor jackets, a blasting cap with detonation cord, a video camera with cassettes, full AK-47 magazines, a sub-machine gun, a pistol holster, an AK-47 sight and an AK-47 flash suppressor.

-- Members of the same unit also found a bomb designed to pierce armored vehicles, an AK-47, a machine gun, three AK-47 magazines, night vision goggles, two grenades, body armor and detonation cord. Two hours later, members of the same unit seized a cache consisting of 120 mm mortar rounds, 60 mm mortar rounds, 82 mm mortar rounds, anti-tank missiles, anti-tank shells, a rocket launcher, mortar fuses, an AK-47 and rifles.

-- In Baghdad's West Rashid district, soldiers with the 4th Infantry Division's 1st Brigade Combat Team found a sniper rifle, a PKC machine gun, PKC rounds, a bolt-action rifle, pistols, and pistol rounds.

-- In the Aamel neighborhood of Baghdad's Rashid district, soldiers from the 4th Infantry Division's 1st Brigade Combat Team discovered a sniper rifle, a PKC machine gun, a bolt-action rifle, pistols, rounds of PKC ammunition and rounds of pistol ammunition.

-- In Baghdad's Saydiyah community, soldiers from the 24th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, reported finding 60 mm mortar rounds. An explosive ordnance disposal unit responded to handle the munitions.

-- Also in Saydiyah, soldiers from the 64th Armor Regiment, attached to the 4th Infantry Division's 1st Brigade Combat Team, discovered a munitions cache consisting of three RPGs altered to be remotely detonated during the search of a house. They also detained three suspected criminal.

-- Soldiers with the 3rd Brigade, 1st Iraq Army Division, seized an AK-47, an MP-5, AK-47 magazines, night-vision goggles, two grenades, a set of body armor and six CDs belonging to a criminal group in Baghdad's Sadr City district.

-- Soldiers from the 25th Infantry Division's 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team seized 120 mm mortar rounds, 80 mm mortar rounds and 60 mm mortar rounds west of Baghdad.

-- Iraqi soldiers from the 24th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, found 60 mm mortar rounds in the West Rashid area of Baghdad.

-- Soldiers from the 10th Mountain Division's 4th Brigade Combat Team found AK-47s, a bolt-action rifle and an aviation helicopter breach kit in New Baghdad.

-- Soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division's 2nd Brigade Combat Team found homemade explosive material in the Mansour area of Baghdad.

-- Soldiers with the 4th Infantry Division's 1st Brigade Combat Team found hand grenades, a smoke grenade, RPG boosters, an AK-47 assault rifle, AK-47 magazines, and 12.7 mm and 7.62 mm ammunition in Baghdad.

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