Good News From The War On Terror 1/8
Coalition forces capture Special Groups leader; detain four suspects
BAGHDAD, Iraq – Coalition forces captured a suspected Special Groups leader and detained three other suspects early today during operations to disrupt criminal networks in the Baghdad area.
The targeted individual was reportedly a Baghdad Special Groups leader who facilitated the training of numerous criminals in activities including murders and kidnappings. The wanted individual was also reported to be an associate of other senior-level criminal element leaders involved in attacks on Coalition forces.
Intelligence led ground forces to the target area where they captured the wanted individual and the three other suspected criminals without incident.
Coalition forces disrupt al-Qaeda in Iraq operations; three killed; 28 detained
BAGHDAD, Iraq – Coalition forces killed three terrorists and detained 28 suspects yesterday and today during operations targeting al-Qaeda in Iraq networks in central and northern Iraq.
East of Mahmudiyah today, Coalition forces conducted an operation targeting an alleged al-Qaeda in Iraq leader for the network in Arab Jabour. The targeted individual is reportedly responsible for an attack in Hawr Rajjab in November that killed two Iraqi police members.
As the ground force arrived in the area, they observed three armed men maneuvering around the target buildings. Coalition forces tracked the men to a static location and directed them to come out, but they did not comply. The men then began to maneuver in separate directions. One of the men threw a grenade at the ground force’s position, and they engaged the hostile threat, killing him. The ground force then engaged the remaining armed men in a separate location, killing them. Upon clearing the area, Coalition forces discovered three machine guns and military style assault vests. The ground force also detained six suspected terrorists.
In Baghdad, Coalition forces captured a wanted individual believed to be an associate of the al-Qaeda in Iraq media and propaganda network. The wanted individual allegedly replaced a suspect detained by Coalition forces Dec. 21, and is believed to have ties to numerous senior al-Qaeda in Iraq leaders in the region. Two suspected terrorists were detained in addition to the wanted individual.
North of Manusuriyah, Coalition forces detained five suspects while targeting associates of the al-Qaeda in Iraq network operating in the northeast Diyala River Valley region. As the ground force cleared the area, they discovered numerous machine guns, military style assault vests and grenades which were safely destroyed on site.
During operations yesterday, Coalition forces detained 14 suspects in Baghdad and Mosul while targeting associates allegedly involved in al-Qaeda in Iraq media networks and assassination operations.
Iraqi Special Operations Forces detain extremist cell leader, 3 suspected extremists (Baghdad)
BALAD – Iraqi Special Operations Forces, advised by U.S. Special Forces, detained a known extremist cell leader and three additional suspected extremists Jan. 7 in the Zafaraniyah and Diyala areas of Baghdad.
The known extremist is said to lead a cell believed to be behind numerous improvised explosive device and indirect fire attacks against Iraqi and Coalition Forces as well as a wide range of criminal activities including kidnapping and murder.
The extremists are also said to threaten government and political figures.
Air strike destroys AQI safe house, reveals large cache (Busayefi)
BAGHDAD – U.S. Air Force F-16 fighter jets dropped two 500-pound bombs, destroying an al-Qaeda in Iraq safe house used to make and store improvised explosive devices near Busayefi Jan. 6.
After the structure was destroyed, a site survey was conducted by Multi-National Division – Center Soldiers and IED-making materials were found.
The remnants of the IED-making materials found in the rubble included one 122 mm projectile, one 120 mm mortar round, three 57 mm projectile rounds primed with detonation cord, 50 DSHKA large-caliber machine gun rounds, three spools of copper wire, two crush wire strips, 30 meters of command wire, three bundles of detonation cord and a video camera.
