OIF Summary; Oct. 17, 2008: Troops in Iraq Nab Suspects, Seize Weapons

Dispatches from the Front:

WASHINGTON, Oct. 17, 2008 -- Coalition forces in Iraq today captured two wanted men and one additional suspect during operations targeting terrorist networks in Baghdad and Kirkuk, military officials reported.

Troops operating in Kirkuk captured a man wanted for alleged ties to al-Qaida in Iraq networks in the Sulayman Bak area. Additionally, he is believed to be associated with bomb operations in the region, officials said.

In Baghdad, forces captured another wanted man who intelligence reports suggest is a facilitator for a terrorist group associated with al-Qaida in Iraq, as well as an additional suspect, officials said.

In other operations, Iraqi police yesterday shot a suicide car bomber at a checkpoint outside of a police station near Balad. Police engaged the vehicle, based on a previous description of it, causing the driver to swerve into a concrete barrier. The car exploded on impact, wounding four police officers.

On Oct. 15, soldiers assigned to the 10th Mountain Division’s 4th Brigade Combat Team captured a man in eastern Baghdad who is suspected of being associated with foreign terrorist groups in Iraq.

In other operations this week, coalition and Iraqi forces seized multiple weapons caches in and around Baghdad. The U.S. soldiers are with the 25th Infantry Division’s 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 14th Infantry Regiment, and the 10th Mountain Division’s 4th Brigade Combat Team, 66th Armor Regiment.

Their seizures included a rocket-propelled grenade and launcher, a 155 mm round, 20 AK=47 assault rifles, multiple grenades and ammunition and explosives. Coalition and Iraqi security forces have seized more than 2,100 weapons and munitions caches in the area, officials said.

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

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