U.S., Iraqi Forces Capture Criminals, Seize Weapons Caches

American Forces Press Service

Jan. 7, 2009 - U.S. soldiers and Iraqi forces detained two suspected criminals and seized several weapons caches in Iraq yesterday and Jan. 5. U.S. soldiers and Iraqi security forces yesterday arrested two men suspected of attacking coalition forces in southern Baghdad's Rashid district.

In other operations yesterday:

-- Iraqi and U.S. soldiers discovered roadside bomb-making materials in Baghdad's Saydiyah neighborhood. Iraqi soldiers transported the materials to their headquarters for disposal.

-- U.S. soldiers and Iraqi police seized a weapons cache in Baghdad's Aamel community consisting of a hand grenade, two explosive batteries, two speakers with speaker wire and a router. The police officers brought the items to a nearby Iraqi National Police headquarters for disposal.

-- U.S. and Iraqi soldiers discovered five 81 mm mortar rounds in Baghdad's Jihad community. An explosive ordnance disposal unit disposed of the munitions.

-- Iraqi and U.S. soldiers confiscated a weapons cache in Baghdad's Kadamiyah district that included three 60 mm mortars, a partial mortar tube, two rocket-propelled grenade warheads, a rifle and two fuses.

In Jan. 5 operations:

-- Iraqi National Police and U.S. soldiers confiscated four hand grenades in the Aamel community.

-- A tip led Iraqi soldiers to a weapons cache in Diyala province, northeast of Baghdad, that included six rocket-propelled grenade launchers, about 50 RPG warheads, a 130 mm round with fuse, a 122 mm rocket, about 50 rockets, a machine gun with several cases of rounds, detonation cord, bomb-making materials, small-arms rifles with rounds and bipods, and three Iraqi police vests.

(Compiled from Multinational Corps Iraq news releases.)