Forces Arrest Terrorism Suspects in Iraq

American Forces Press Service

Nov. 9, 2009 - Iraqi forces, partnered with U.S. advisors, have arrested numerous terrorism suspects in Iraq in recent days, military officials reported. Credible intelligence led team Iraqi soldiers and their U.S. advisors to a northeastern Baghdad neighborhood to serve an arrest warrant on a Kataib Hezbollah terrorist group member suspected of planning and conducting attacks against security forces in Iraq.

During preliminary questioning of those at the scene, the security team positively identified the man and arrested him without incident.

In other recent operations in Iraq:

Iraqi security forces today arrested an alleged al-Qaida in Iraq associate in central Tikrit. A Salahuddin province police with an arrest warrant and U.S. advisors searched two houses while pursuing a man with alleged ties to al-Qaida in Iraq leaders in the province. The security team questioned several people and arrested the wanted man and a second suspect associated with terrorist activity.

Iraq's 5th Emergency Response Battalion, advised by U.S. forces, arrested a suspected terrorist leader wanted on a warrant and linked to numerous terrorist cells in Ninevah province Nov. 3. Khalil Nazir Khalil, also known as Abu Abdallah, was arrested in his home near Mosul.

Khalil is suspected of being a key leader of numerous Jaysh Rijal al-Tariq al-Naqshabandi terrorist group cells operating in Mosul. The cell has been linked to numerous bombing attacks throughout Ninevah province.

In Ramadi, an Iraqi special weapons and tactics unit, with U.S. forces advisors, arrested two people suspected of al-Qaida in Iraq activities Nov 3. The arrests were made with a court warrant.

"This is the third operation conducted in the last month in the Ramanah district," said Lt. Mukhlis, an Al Qaim SWAT commander. "Local Iraqis are beginning to come forward with known locations of terrorists throughout the Al Qaim district."

Iraqi forces arrested six suspected terrorists yesterday during two combined operations in search of al-Qaida in Iraq members in Baghdad.

In western Baghdad, Iraqi forces and U.S. advisors searched a building for an alleged Baghdad-based al-Qaida in Iraq leader, but did not locate him. However, the security team arrested five people they questioned at the scene and determined to be members of the terrorist group. Iraqi forces made the arrests without incident.

During a combined operation in southwestern Baghdad, Iraqi forces with an arrest warrant and U.S. advisors searched a building for a suspected al-Qaida in Iraq member alleged to coordinate vehicle-bomb attacks against civilians. One person was arrested based on evidence found at the scene linking him to suspicious activity. The suspected al-Qaida in Iraq member sought under the warrant was not apprehended.

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