Coalition Forces Apprehend Terrorism Suspects

American Forces Press Service

Oct. 21, 2008 - Coalition forces detained 12 suspects, including members of Iranian-backed illegal militias and the Kataib Hezbollah terrorist group, in operations throughout Iraq today, military officials reported. Coalition forces apprehended four suspects believed to be Iranian-supported enemy fighters this morning during two separate operations in Jadidah, north of Baghdad in Diyala province.

Acting on intelligence information, coalition forces targeted a suspected associate of groups involved in cross-border weapons smuggling and financial facilitation. During the first operation, forces moved in on the wanted man's location in Jadidah, where they detained him without incident.

In the second operation, coalition forces targeted a suspected recruiter, financer, and weapons facilitator for the Iranian-backed enemy network. Forces moved in on the second wanted man's location and detained three suspects without incident.

Coalition forces continued to degrade the Kataib Hezbollah network with the capture of three suspected criminals today during an operation in Baghdad's Basrah neighborhood. Kataib Hezbollah is believed to be a proxy of Iran, and its members are believed to be responsible for recent attacks against Iraqi citizens and Iraqi and coalition forces, officials said. In the last two days, officials added, coalition forces have detained six suspected Kataib Hezbollah members.

Acting on intelligence information, coalition forces targeted a Kataib Hezbollah facilitator believed to have close ties to network leadership. Coalition forces approached a social club where they believed him to be, where they encountered three suspected Kataib Hezbollah members. Coalition forces observed that the three individuals were intoxicated, officials said, and they were detained without incident.

In other news, a wanted man and four other suspected terrorists were detained today as coalition forces continued to degrade al-Qaida in Iraq's operating capabilities in central and northern Iraq.

Coalition forces captured the wanted man in the Jazeera Desert, southwest of Mosul. He is believed to be associated with the region's al-Qaida courier network and senior leaders, and he surrendered himself to coalition forces, officials said.

In Jalula, northwest of Baghdad, forces targeted a suspected al-Qaida car-bomb and finance operative. Two men believed to be associates of the wanted man were detained during the operation.

Another coalition force operation targeting an alleged weapons facilitator in Baghdad netted two suspects.

In operations yesterday, a tip led Iraqi soldiers to the largest and most serviceable weapons cache since the completion of a barrier wall in Baghdad's Sadr City district. Based on information from a source, Iraqi soldiers seized the cache, which included two 72.5 mm rockets, two 64 mm rockets, 15 armor-piercing projectiles, a directional fragmentary bomb, a 60 mm mortar round, various grenades and projectiles, 50 electrical blasting caps and various bomb components.

On Oct. 19, Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers arrested five suspected criminals in Baghdad's Rashid district.

Soldiers from the 4th Infantry Division's Company C, 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, detained two men with false identification in the northern area of the Jihad community.

Soldiers from the 4th Infantry Division's Troop C, 7th Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigae Combat Team, detained a suspected Iranian-backed enemy fighter wanted for kidnappings and indirect-fire attacks in the Abu Tshir community.

Soldiers from the 4th Infantry Division's Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, detained a suspect believed to be responsible for roadside-bomb attacks, indirect-fire attacks and financing other attacks in the Aamel community. Soldiers from the 4th Infantry Division's Company C, 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, detained a suspected Iranian-backed enemy fighter during a raid in the eastern area of the Jihad community.

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