Iraqi, Coalition Forces Detain Six Terrorist Suspects

American Forces Press Service

Dec. 22, 2008 - Coalition and Iraqi security forces detained six terrorist suspects in operations in recent days, military officials said. Iraqi forces working with coalition troops detained a suspected terrorist Dec. 20 in southern Baghdad's Rashid district. The man was wanted for bomb attacks in the area.

Iraqi national police and the "Sons of Iraq" civilian security group worked with soldiers from the 4th Infantry Division's 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Battalion, in capturing the suspect. They also found a rocket-propelled grenade with wires attached as a makeshift bomb in the Aamel community. The Iraqis transported the munitions to a nearby Iraqi forward operating base for disposal.

Also in Baghdad on Dec. 20, Iraqi police and soldiers with the U.S. 1st Infantry Division's 10th Cavalry Regiment detained a suspected al-Qaida in Iraq cell leader in the Ameriyah district of northwestern Baghdad. The man is suspected of building homemade bombs at a car shop in Yarmouk.

On Dec. 19, Iraqi security forces captured three suspected terrorists in central Iraq in two operations.

Iraqi special operations forces detained two suspected criminal in Baghdad. One of the detainees is suspected in explosives attacks and extortion in Mustansirya.

In a separate operation, emergency response brigade soldiers captured a suspected terrorist in Baghdad. The man is believed to be the leader of a new terrorist group operating in Baghdad and has a high level of influence and ties to a terrorist organization.

Also on Dec. 19, coalition forces apprehended an Iraqi citizen suspected to be an Iranian intelligence agent and an alleged associate during an operation in Qastin, just north of Baghdad.

Acting on intelligence information, coalition forces targeted the man, who allegedly is a commander of Iranian special operations in Iraq. The suspect also is believed to be involved in the training of Iraqi militants at Islamic Republican Guard Corps Quds Force training camps.

In Qastin, coalition forces approached the residence of the wanted man, who identified himself to forces and was apprehended without incident. The suspected criminal then led forces to the location of an associate at a nearby residence. The associate was apprehended without incident.

Iran's Quds Force is believed to provide direct support to multiple extremist groups in Iraq, and to be responsible for weapons being smuggled into Iraq from Iran.

(Compiled from Multinational Corps Iraq news releases.)