Coalition Forces Capture Seven Suspected Terrorists

American Forces Press Service

Sept. 25, 2008 - Coalition forces operating in central and northern Iraq arrested three wanted men and seven additional suspects while targeting al-Qaida in Iraq leadership and improvised explosive device networks yesterday and today, Military officials reported. An operation yesterday in Fallujah targeted a man suspected of conspiring with a longtime regional al-Qaida "emir." The operation resulted in the arrest of three suspects, officials said.

In Mosul, a wanted man assessed to be an al-Qaida in Iraq security officer in the area was detained with three additional suspects by coalition forces yesterday. Intelligence reports suggest that the man has attempted to recruit Iraqi police officers into al-Qaida in Iraq, officials said.

Coalition forces also detained a suspected terrorist during an operation in Baghdad today, they said. The wanted man is believed to have multiple connections to al-Qaida operatives throughout the city and country, to include a man involved in bomb-making.

Another wanted man believed to have connections to bombing operations in Beiji was captured by forces during an operation in Tikrit today, officials reported. The suspect, who identified himself during the operation, also is assessed to be directly involved in the placement, facilitation and production of roadside bombs, which are used by al-Qaida to kill Iraqi civilians and coalition forces. An additional suspect was detained during the operation, they said.

Also yesterday, coalition forces apprehended a suspected criminal during an operation in Amarah, in the Maysan province.

Coalition forces targeted a suspected senior weapons smuggler responsible for militant operations against coalition and Iraqi security forces. Forces moved in on the wanted man's location in Amarah, where they detained the suspect without incident. In addition, they found a Glock pistol and 1 million Iraqi dinar at the residence.

In operations Sept. 23:

-- Iraqi Special Operations Forces captured a suspected criminal leader in Sadr City. The man is allegedly responsible for multiple attacks against Iraqi and coalition forces and possibly involved in the bombing of a district advisory council, officials said. The individual is also believed to be a member of a kidnapping cell.

-- Iraqi soldiers from the 3rd Battalion, 30th Brigade, delivered humanitarian aid supplies from the newly opened Najaf International Airport with the help of the Najaf Provincial Reconstruction Team and the 30th Military Transition Team. About 4,000 people received shoes, sports suits, buckets, walkers, crutches and wheelchairs. Even after the distribution, there were still enough supplies remaining to help other displaced families elsewhere.

In operations Sept. 22:

-- Iraqi Special Operations Forces captured a suspected criminal member in Basra. He is believed to be a member of a kidnapping cell that abducted at least two people: an Iraqi-born U.S. citizen for ransom, and an Iraqi citizen. The cell is also said to be linked to a drug and lethal aid smuggling organization.

-- Coalition forces working alongside the Iraqi army in Kirkuk captured a wanted man during an operation targeting al-Qaida's foreign terrorist network. Intelligence reports suggest the man has connections to senior facilitators in neighboring countries.
-- Two suspects were apprehended in a town west of Mosul during an operation targeting a foreign terrorist facilitator.

-- In an operation near Shu Ayrat, about 46 kilometers south of Mosul, coalition forces detained two more suspects while targeting al-Qaida senior leadership nodes, including a wanted man believed to have multiple associations with the group's leadership within the region. Coalition forces also found weapons and body armor at the location.

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