Iraqis Arrest 15 in Multiple Operations

American Forces Press Service

Oct. 15, 2009 - Iraqi security forces arrested 15 suspects in a variety of operations in recent days, military officials reported. Iraqi soldiers, with U.S. advisors, arrested a man identified as an Islamic State of Iraq associate in Mosul today during a search targeting the leader of the terrorist group's extortion ring in the area.

Evidence found at the scene indicated the suspect is a member of a network that charges construction contractors a fee based on the cost of projects. Those who do not comply with the group's demands are threatened or attacked, officials said. Further information gathered indicates the arrested man has ties to the 49 suspected Mosul extortion network members arrested earlier this week, which included the arrest of two local extortion ringleaders suspected of funding attacks against local civilians and Iraqi security forces.

Also today, Iraqi security forces arrested three suspected terrorists during separate operations in the Baghdad and Salahuddin regions.

Iraqi forces, with U.S. advisors, arrested a man while searching for the suspected leader of an al-Qaida in Iraq cell believed to be responsible for bombing attacks in Baghdad.

In a separate security operation, police in Iraq's Salahuddin province, with U.S. advisors, searched two buildings near Kawri, north of Baghdad, for an Islamic State of Iraq member suspected of staging suicide-vest attacks in the Duluiyah area. Based on information gathered at the scene, they arrested two suspected criminals.

In three separate operations yesterday, Iraqi forces searched for and arrested four suspects near Kirkuk, Baghdad and Mosul. An emergency services unit arrested two suspects while searching for the leader of an Islamic State of Iraq vehicle-bomb cell leader near Tuz Khurmatu, southwest of Kirkuk. One was arrested based on a warrant, and the other was taken into custody based on evidence gathered at the scene.

During a separate operation, Iraqi security forces searched a building near Kawri, north of Baghdad, and arrested a man suspected of coordinating suicide-vest attacks in the Duluiyah area.

In western Mosul, federal police arrested a bombing network member suspected to be involved in assassination attempts against Iraqi security forces officials in Mosul.

In the Radwaniyah area south of Baghdad on Oct. 13, Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers, along with Iraqi security forces, detained a man wanted on a terrorism warrant. U.S. troops worked with Iraqi police to serve the warrant on the suspect, who is believed to be a key figure in a roadside-bomb cell operating southern Baghdad.

In operations Oct. 11 and 12, Iraqi security forces arrested six suspects suspected of staging attacks against security forces and civilians.

Iraqi soldiers, with U.S. forces advisors, conducted an Oct. 11 security operation in northwestern Baghdad that netted two arrests. The subject of the search was a suspected Jaysh al-Mahdi terrorist group member accused of planning and conducting roadside-bomb attacks. During the search, the security team apprehended and arrested two other people suspected to be associates of the network.

During Oct. 12 operations in Baghdad, Kirkuk and Mosul, Iraqi forces, with U.S. forces advisors, arrested four men suspected of conducting attacks against security forces.

In Baghdad, the security team searched for a suspected Kataib Hizballah terrorist group member and arrested one man without incident.

Southeast of Kirkuk, Iraqi police, with U.S. advisors, searched for a suspect believed to have direct links to al-Qaida in Iraq and Islamic State of Iraq members. They arrested two suspects during the search of several buildings when information gathered during the search appeared to link them to criminal activity.

Also, federal police, with U.S. forces advisors, apprehended and questioned a man in eastern Mosul during a search for an Islamic State of Iraq member suspected of involvement with an oil extortion network and extortion-related assassinations within the city.

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