THE TENSION: Terrorist Bombing in Mosul Kills 4 Iraqis, Injures 18

Dispatches from the Front:

WASHINGTON, Oct. 10, 2008 -- Iraqi citizens were killed and 18 wounded today when a roadside bomb exploded near an Iraqi police mounted patrol in the northern city of Mosul, military officials said. Two Iraqi police also were wounded in the attack, they said.

The bombing followed several days of military operations in the area in which coalition and Iraqi forces targeted terrorist networks. Today, those operations led to the capture of 10 suspected terrorists, including three men wanted in connection with al-Qaida in Iraq activity in the area, officials said.

Also today, coalition forces in Ijhalah Gharbi, about 44 miles south of Mosul, captured another wanted man believed to have ties to AQI regional leadership, as well as five other suspects, officials said. The alleged terrorist identified himself to forces during the operation, they said.

In other operations today, coalition forces detained five insurgents in the Rashid district of southern Baghdad, officials said.

Earlier this week, Iraqi security forces killed three armed insurgents and captured 13 suspected terrorists believed to have launched recent attacks against coalition forces in Diyala and Baghdad, officials said.

One, a former Iraqi national police officer, is said to have conducted intimidation attacks and engaged in kidnapping for ransom, theft and robbery to supply money, weapons and vehicles to other criminal elements in Khalis, officials reported.

In other operations reported by coalition forces this week:

Iraqi soldiers Wednesday captured two alleged members of the Jaish al-Islam terrorist cell operating in the Balad area. A third suspect, identified as a member of Hamas in Iraq, was killed after trying to attack Iraqi soldiers. The association of the insurgent groups indicates the possible convergence of terrorist groups, officials said.

During a separate operation Wednesday in Khan Bani Said, Iraqi Security Forces captured six suspected AQI terrorists. During the operation, Iraqi Security Forces killed two of the suspects who showed hostile intent as they pointed weapons toward the SWAT members.

Also Wednesday, Iraqi police and coalition troops discovered several weapons caches in the Abu Ghraib area of Baghdad that included homemade bombs, 270 122 mm rockets and 200,000 heavy machine gun rounds. The find was based on citizens’ tips.

On Tuesday, an Iraqi SWAT team operating in Makariyim captured three suspected AQI terrorists believed to be involved in logistics. They are believed to be associates of cell leaders involved in murder, kidnapping, theft, torture and indirect fire attacks against Iraqi and coalition forces.