Iraqi, U.S. Forces Detain Criminals, Discover Weapons

American Forces Press Service

Jan. 18, 2009 - Iraqi security forces and U.S. soldiers seized weapons caches and arrested a suspected criminal in the Baghdad area Jan. 16, military officials reported. Iraqi and U.S. soldiers and Iraqi National Police confiscated 18 AK-47 assault rifles while conducting clearing operations in Rashid district's Saydiyah community.

Also in the Saydiyah community, Iraqi and U.S. soldiers detained a suspected criminal.

North of Baghdad, Iraqi and U.S. soldiers found a large cache that consisted of eight 37 mm projectiles, 19 73 mm mortars, 10 60 mm mortars, three 82 mm mortars, a 75 mm rocket, two rocket-propelled grenades, 200 12.7 mm rounds, 20 mortar primers, 200 7.62 mm rounds, a 155 mm projectile and a 60 mm warhead.

Responding to a tip, U.S. and Iraqi soldiers discovered two homemade bombs in an abandoned home in the Abu T'shir community.

In operations Jan. 15:

--- Iraqi and U.S. soldiers detained a suspected murderer in the Saydiyah community. The criminal was apprehended using an Iraqi-issued warrant from the Baghdad Operations Center.

-- During three separate patrols, Iraqi and U.S. soldiers discovered a barrel containing four 57 mm rockets buried in the ground in Rashid district's Karb De Gla neighborhood, two pipe bombs in Arab Jaboor, and confiscated two AK-47 assault rifles in the Saydiyah community.

-- While conducting operations in southern Baghdad's Rashid district, U.S. airmen from the Police Transition Team and Iraqi police discovered a hand grenade.

-- In the Karb De Gla neighborhood, U.S. and Iraqi soldiers discovered a weapons cache that contained eight propane tanks, three mortar rounds and two homemade bombs. Soldiers safely removed and transported the munitions to a combat outpost for proper disposal.

-- Iraqi and U.S. soldiers discovered an 82 mm mortar round during combat operations in the Saydiyah community. The patrol transported the round to a nearby joint security station for disposal.

-- Iraqi and U.S. soldiers discovered a weapons cache consisting of a 60 mm mortar round, an anti-tank mine and several fuses, and detained four individuals in the Saydiyah community. The suspected criminals were detained on warrants issued by the Baghdad Operations Center. The patrol moved the ordnance and detainees to a nearby joint security station.

-- South of Baghdad, Iraqi soldiers seized a cache that contained 60 60 mm mortars, 50 hand grenades, a mortar tube, two mortar stands and homemade explosive ingredients.

-- Acting on a local resident's tip, U.S. and Iraqi soldiers seized a cache that contained several small homemade bombs, a small amount of detonation cord and a magnetic homemade bomb in western Baghdad's West Rashid neighborhood.

-- Iraqi soldiers found a cache in the West Rashid area that contained a 60 mm mortar, an anti-tank mine and an undetermined number of mortar fuses.

(Compiled from Multinational Corps Iraq news releases.)