Coalition Detains 11 Suspects in Mosul, Baghdad

American Forces Press Service

Sept. 30, 2008 - Coalition forces captured three wanted men and detained eight additional suspected terrorists yesterday and today during operations targeting al-Qaida in Iraq in and around Baghdad and Mosul, military officials reported. Southeast of Mosul yesterday, coalition forces targeting al-Qaida communication networks captured one wanted man believed to be a courier for the terrorist organization. The man, who identified himself to coalition forces during the operation, is also believed to have connections to al-Qaida communication lines coming out of Mosul.

Today in Mosul, a coalition force operation targeting a wanted man believed to be a foreign terrorist facilitator netted four suspects.

In Baghdad today, coalition forces detained one suspect believed to be an associate of a man wanted for his dealings in al-Qaida's Mahmudiyah foreign terrorist facilitator cell and connections to international al-Qaida operatives.

In Abu Ghraib today, forces captured two wanted men believed to be leaders of a terrorist group known to conduct attacks against coalition forces. Three additional suspects were detained during the operation.

In other operations yesterday:

-- Iraqi National Police and soldiers from the 4th Infantry Division's 1st Battalion, 66th Armor Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, attached to the 10th Mountain Division's 4th Brigade Combat Team, captured and questioned two known members of an illegal, Iranian-backed militia during an operation targeting criminals and protecting the populace in the Amin area of New Baghdad. Both men are linked to improvised explosive device activity in the area, officials said.

-- Soldiers from the 4th Infantry Division's Troop B, 7th Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, discovered a hand grenade in an abandoned house while on patrol in the Hadar community of Baghdad's Rashid district. After questioning the neighbors near the house, the soldiers detained the man responsible for the grenade. In addition to the grenade, the man had five AK-47 magazines in his possession.

-- Soldiers from the 5th Engineer Battalion detained an individual who had thrown a hand grenade at one of their vehicles in northern Salahuddin province. Soldiers serving with the 509th Engineer Company, 5th Engineer Battalion, 555th Engineer Brigade, attached to the 3rd Sustainment Command, were on patrol when an individual threw the grenade at one of their vehicles. The device bounced off the armor plating of the vehicle, but did not detonate. The soldiers were able to identify the individual and returned fire. The individual later was turned over to Iraqi security forces for processing.

-- Iraqi National Police in Baghdad turned in four grenades, a rocket-propelled grenade and a tail boom for an RPG to soldiers serving with the 25th Infantry Division's Company B, 1st Battalion 27th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team.

-- After receiving a tip from a concerned citizen, soldiers serving with the 25th Infantry Division's Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, found a cache north of Baghdad. The munitions included a 60 mm mortar tube, a 7 mm pistol and other bomb-making materials.

-- "Sons of Iraq" citizen security group members turned in five 57 mm projectiles, a 57 mm fuse, six batteries and two blasting caps to soldiers serving with the 25th Infantry Division's Company A, 1st Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, north of Baghdad.

-- Soldiers serving with the 4th Infantry Division's Company B, 4th Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, found two rifles and two sights in a vehicle in Baghdad's West Rashid district.

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