Good News From The War On Terror 7/10
Operation Four Brothers nets detainees, weapons
ARAB JABOUR, Iraq — Paratroopers netted numerous detainees and munitions July 6 in Operation Four Brothers.
Paratroopers from Bravo Troop, 1st Battalion, 40th Cavalry Regiment, from Fort Richardson, Alaska, conducted the operation finding caches of weapons, money, cell phones and numerous types of media as well as detaining 13 suspected insurgents. One individual, who was briefly detained and released, agreed to write a sworn statement against other detainees being held.
During the operation the paratroopers discovered various weapons caches containing three Iranian hand grenades, military type uniforms, and 40 mortar casings ranging from 40 millimeter to 81 millimeter. The munitions were confiscated and turned over to the Iraqi police for destruction.
The paratroopers also found 9,000,000 Iraqi Dinar, the equivalent to $6,000 in US currency. There were also several items from two different coalition patrol bases that had been stolen. These items included razor wire, ladders and lumber.
The Paratroopers are currently attached to 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division from Fort Stewart, Ga.
17 suspected terrorist operatives, bombers detained in Coalition raids
BAGHDAD, Iraq – Coalition Forces detained 17 suspected terrorists during raids in central and northern Iraq Tuesday targeting al-Qaeda in Iraq operatives and terrorist bombing cells.
Coalition Forces captured an alleged al-Qaeda in Iraq cell member believed to be a link between terrorist operations in the Northern and Southern Belts. During the raid, the ground forces detained three more suspected terrorists for their alleged involvement with al-Qaeda in Iraq.
In Mosul, Coalition Forces captured a targeted individual suspected of having ties to a senior leader in al-Qaeda in Iraq. The raid also netted two additional suspects who are allegedly tied to the terrorist group. During a raid west of Taji, Coalition Forces detained three suspected terrorists allegedly tied to a senior al-Qaeda in Iraq leader who procures and distributes weapons for terrorist activity.
In a raid on three separate buildings south of Baghdad, Coalition Forces detained five suspected terrorists allegedly tied to the Baghdad vehicle-borne improvised explosive device network. In southern Baghdad, Coalition Forces raided three buildings targeting a suspected member of the Baghdad VBIED network and detained two suspected terrorists for their alleged involvement in a bombing cell.
Iraqi Special Operations Forces capture twelve suspected insurgents
DIWANIJAH – Iraqi Special Operations Forces detained twelve insurgents linked to a rogue Jaysh al-Mahdi militia during two separate intelligence driven operations in Baghdad June 8. These insurgents are allegedly responsible for attacks against Iraqi and Coalition Forces. With Coalition Forces along as advisors, ISOF detained the targeted individuals without incident.
In the first operation, ISOF detained 11 targeted individuals believed responsible for attacks using explosively formed penetrators against Iraqi and Coalition Forces in the Hay al-Aamel area.
In the second operation the ISOF detained the alleged leader of a cell responsible for direct and indirect fire, and improvised explosive devices attacks on Iraqi and Coalition Forces. His capture will disrupt this cell’s ability to carry out death squad activities against innocent civilians.
ISOF seized weapons and ammunition, cell phones and assorted documents during these operations.
No Iraqi or coalition forces were injured during this operation.
Three insurgents killed, four detained in attack
BAGHDAD — An air weapons team killed three insurgents July 7 in Jisr Diyala, Iraq.
Soldiers from 3rd Battalion, 1st Cavalry Regiment and 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment were securing a youth center for a medical assistance operation when they received small arms and rocket-propelled grenade fire. An air weapons team responded to the attack engaging insurgents and a vehicle containing a mortar tube.
Four individuals were detained in the attack. One insurgent was wounded and treated.
Tipsters lead to capture south Baghdad’s most wanted terrorist, cache
AL-DHOUR, Iraq — With two well-timed phone calls, Iraqi civilians made some Soldiers’ day July 9.
The first tipster called Troop C, 1st Squadron, 89th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) out of Fort Drum, N.Y., and alerted them to a cache south of the village of Al-Dhour, Iraq, south of Baghdad.
The troop responded, located the buried weapons, and was only five minutes into the process of digging them up when they got another call.
A man claimed he had the 2nd BCT’s top high-value target and would deliver him to coalition custody. The man and Capt. Adam Sawyer, Troop C commander, agreed on a pickup site.
The Soldiers hastily re-buried the cache and moved out, and when the vehicle arrived, they stopped it and took the most wanted man and two other men into custody.
Some of the Soldiers were still able to see the cache from their vantage point - and were surprised to see a civilian pickup truck stop there and begin hastily loading the weapons into the bed of the truck.
They engaged the vehicle with an M-240 machine gun, and the men tried to flee, but the Troop C Soldiers detained them all – and called an explosive ordnance disposal team to destroy the weapons.
Sawyer a native of Reading, Penn., was jubilant about the operation.
The primary target is allegedly responsible for shooting down an AH-64 helicopter in April 2006, the abductions of two Soldiers in June 2006, and complex attacks on patrol bases and terrorist acts against both Coalition Forces and Iraqi civilians.
Additionally, he is believed to be the leader of an al Qaeda network, known to prey on the general public through intimidation and murder against those resisting compliance to the AQI demands and decrees
One of the detainees had been wounded in a previous engagement, and was taken to a coalition hospital for treatment. The other six are being held for further questioning.
