Troops Capture 11 Terrorism Suspects in Iraq

WASHINGTON, Aug. 24, 2008 - Coalition forces caught 11 terrorism suspects while targeting al-Qaida in Iraq bombing and leadership networks across Iraq yesterday.

In Beiji, south of Mosul, coalition forces captured four men suspected of planning attacks using poison. Forces nabbed a suspect in Sharqat, also south of Mosul, wanted for transporting weapons and explosives for al-Qaida in Iraq.

In Baghdad, forces caught three terrorism suspects. One allegedly is associated with al-Qaida in Iraq senior leaders involved with suicide bombings. In southern Baghdad, U.S. soldiers detained three suspected al-Qaida in Iraq members. Forces detained two of suspects in the Jazair community in southern Baghdad's Rashid district, and another was caught in the Risalah community of Rashid.

In Aug. 22 operations:

-- Coalition forces captured a suspected bombing cell leader and another terrorism suspect in Beiji. The cell is part of a bombing network in the Tigris River Valley, officials said. Forces recovered body armor and military-style equipment.

-- Two suspects were detained in Mosul.

-- U.S. soldiers seized two weapons caches north of Baghdad. At the first location, soldiers recovered six 120 mm mortars, a 107 mm rocket, three 85 mm rockets, eight 82 mm mortars, 12 70 mm rockets, a 57 mm projectile, nine 40 mm projectiles, 500 7.62 mm rounds and 12 AK-47 magazines. In another cache, soldiers recovered a land mine, two rocket-propelled grenades and 10 propane tanks.

-- U.S. and Iraqi forces seized several weapons and two mortar rounds in southern Baghdad's Rashid district. Forces recovered 38 AK-47 rifles, an SKS rifle, two pistols and a bandolier during a clearance operation. In separate mounted patrols, forces recovered two 60 mm mortar rounds in the Saha and Jihad communities.

On Aug. 21:

-- Iraqi National Police seized a large cache of artillery rounds in the New Baghdad district of eastern Baghdad. Forces recovered a cache of 87 122 mm artillery rounds in the Jadida area in New Baghdad.

-- U.S. forces caught a suspected leader of an Iranian-backed "special group" in eastern Baghdad. The suspect allegedly is involved in roadside-bomb attacks.

-- U.S. soldiers detained two suspects and discovered a munitions cache in southern Baghdad's Rashid district. The cache, found in an abandoned house, held 10 land mines and a tube of propellant.

-- U.S. soldiers seized a large weapons cache in eastern Baghdad. Acting on a tip from a local resident, forces recovered six rocket-propelled grenades, three mortar rounds, five 120 mm artillery rounds, four propellants, a 155 mm mortar round, an 80 mm rocket, 100 PKC machine gun rounds, 100 7.62 machine gun rounds, 100 .50 caliber rounds, an RPG launcher and a pair of binoculars.

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

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Troops Capture 11 Terrorism Suspects in Iraq

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