Friday, April 18, 2008

Troops in Iraq Nab Special Groups Leader

Dispatches from the Front

Dispatches from the Front:

WASHINGTON, April 18, 2008 (AFPS) -- U.S. soldiers captured a man suspected of leading an Iranian-backed Special Groups cell in southern Baghdad’s Rashid District yesterday, military officials reported.

The detainee is linked to several area attacks, officials said. He was caught during military operations conducted in the Abu T’shir neighborhood.

“The operation has been going extremely well,” said Army Maj. Dave Olson, a 1st Brigade Combat Team spokesman. The soldiers are creating a safe and secure environment for the district's 1.2 million residents, he said.

“We will target and bring to justice those criminals who disregard the rule of law and who obviously have no regard for the welfare of innocent Iraqi citizens,” Olson declared.

In other news, a tipster led U.S. and Iraqi soldiers to a weapons cache in Shubayshen Village, south of Baghdad, April 16.

The soldiers spent several hours digging up the munitions, which consisted of about 600 tank rounds.

This find was part of Operation Marne Piledriver, an ongoing effort in which Iraqi forces are taking the lead in removing insurgents with the help of coalition forces.

In separate news, the Iraqi city of Kirkuk transferred the last of its traffic control points from military control to police jurisdiction during a ceremony held just north of the city April 14.

The transfer featured numerous Iraqi government, police and military officials.

“Today's handover demonstrates that Kirkuk is operating under the rule of law, not martial law, and that is what we are marking here today,” said Army Lt. Col. Kevin Brown, commander of the 10th Mountain Division’s 1st Brigade.

Kirkuk’s citizens should realize “that their police are fully capable of providing them safety and security,” Brown said.

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

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Troops in Afghanistan Detain Roadside Bombing Suspect

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Afghan and coalition security forces found 109 Chinese and Russian 82mm mortars in a cave in northern Afghanistan April 13, 2008. (U.S. Army photo.)

Dispatches from the Front:

WASHINGTON, April 18, 2008 (AFPS) -- Coalition forces detained a suspected militant yesterday during a joint U.S./Afghan security-force operation to disrupt roadside bombings in Afghanistan’s Khowst province, military officials reported.

The person in custody is linked to several attacks on coalition forces. He was detained during a search of compounds in the province’s Gorbuz District.

In other news, 12 suspected militants were detained during two separate operations in Khowst and Nimroz provinces April 16.

In the district of Tani in Khowst province, Afghan and coalition forces detained two militants linked to foreign fighters and roadside bomb operations. Five of their associates, also suspected of having links to foreign fighters and IED operations, also were detained. Several weapons, ammunition, an ammunition vest and bomb-making components were confiscated and destroyed.

In a separate operation in the district of Kashroad in Nimroz province, coalition forces searched multiple compounds for a wanted Taliban commander and detained five suspected militants linked to the suspect.

Also, an Afghan commando unit captured a suspected Taliban leader during an April 14 search operation southeast of Shembaut Village in Khowst province. The detainee is a suspected Taliban member linked to attacks on Afghan security forces. He also is linked to providing housing and intelligence for use by suicide bombers. Afghan citizens tipped off U.S. and Afghan forces on the location of the suspected militant.

In other news, a local citizen led Afghan and U.S. security forces to a weapons cache hidden inside a cave in northern Afghanistan April 13.

The entrance to the cave was covered up by a deep layer of dirt, according to a U.S. soldier who participated in the mission. The cave held more than 300 pieces of ammunition in nearly pristine condition.

The Afghan tipster will receive a monetary reward, as part of the Small Rewards Program.

About $65,000 in reward monies has been paid to individuals who’ve provided information resulting in locating and destroying weapons caches throughout Afghanistan. More than 7,000 enemy weapon systems, including rocket-propelled grenades, land mines, rifles and various types of ammunitions have been confiscated as a result of the program.

(Compiled from Combined Joint Task Force 101 news releases.)

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Kentucky National Guard, Emergency Management Ready to Respond to Earthquake

On the Home Front
Rubble from earthquake damage to a building lies strewn along a sidewalk in an old section of Louisville, Ky., Friday, April 18, 2008.

On the Home Front:

The following story appeared today on the National Guard Web site.

FRANKFORT, Ky., April 18, 2008 -- Early this morning the Kentucky Division of Emergency Management (KYEM) activated the State Emergency Operations Center in Frankfort in response to the earthquake that woke Kentuckians throughout the state.

There have been no injuries reported and only minor damages reported. A building in downtown Louisville suffered minor damage to a brick facade and residential chimney, a residence in Logan County reported minor cracking in drywall and Warren County officials reported a mobile home shifted on its blocks.

Thanks to a recent training exercise, Kentucky National Guard troops across the state are prepared to respond in the case of severe seismic damage.

"The timing of this morning's earthquake is remarkable," said Maj. Gen. Tonini, Kentucky's Adjutant General. "Last month the Kentucky National Guard conducted a highly successful 5-day seismic exercise involving more than 300 troops from across the state. We tested all facets of a true seismic disaster, including the rapid airlift of emergency supplies, equipment and personnel to communities in Western Kentucky. We also tested our ability to communicate and cooperate with local authorities in responding to such an emergency."

"The Kentucky Guard has never been better poised to respond to an earthquake," said Governor Beshear. "I've seen for myself the extent of their training and have the fullest confidence in their ability to do their job. Our Citizen-Soldiers have a long history of helping their fellow Kentuckians and they stand ready to do so again."

Kentucky’s Earthquake Program Manager, Lori King, said “We are extremely fortunate that nobody was injured and only minor damages have been reported.” She added, “This should be a wake up call to remind us that earthquakes can and do occur at any time and are unpredictable. As with any disaster we should BE AWARE, BE PREPARED, HAVE A PLAN AND HAVE AN EMERGENCY KIT.”

Several local and state catastrophic planning workshops have been held in recent months. Maintaining public awareness of the earthquake risk, as well as maintaining readiness among agencies is a priority for the Kentucky Earthquake program.

The Kentucky National Guard conducted its seismic exercise during the first week of March. Based on a simulated 7.5 Richter-scale magnitude earthquake along the New Madrid fault, the simulation tested both Army and Air National Guard response capabilities. Overall direction was provided by the Kentucky National Guard Joint Forces Headquarters in Frankfort, deploying military police, medical, logistical, communications and special operations teams to 24 counties across the state. Kentucky Army National Guard UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters from Frankfort and Air National Guard C-130 Hercules air transports from Louisville provided airlift support.

In the wake of this morning's seismic event, Kentucky National Guard personnel are currently inspecting their facilities for damage, to include gas, power and phone lines at armories to ensure readiness as operations centers and shelters. Also, a 100% communications check has been conducted.

There are currently 8,446 Soldiers and Airmen in the Kentucky National Guard, with more than 1,000 are currently either mobilized or deployed in support of the Global War on Terror. That leaves more than 7,400 troops available to respond to an emergency. The largest callup of troops for a natural disaster took place during the flood of 1997, when 1,600 Guard members were activated.

For more information and a video on the Kentucky National Guard's seismic preparedness, visit: http://www.kentuckyguard.com/.

For addition information and resources on earthquakes, please visit the following website: www.kyem.ky.gov/programs/earthquake/ . On the right side of the Web page you will find links to other government sites pertaining to earthquakes and other valuable earthquake information. For personal safety tips and other resources, please visit: http://www.kyem.ky.gov/programs/earthquake/Resources.htm.

(Story by David Altom, Kentucky National Guard.)

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Combat Camera: U.S., Iraqi Soldiers Work Together to Secure Sadr City

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An Iraqi army soldier provides security in the Sadr City District of Baghdad on April 9 as Multi-National Division - Baghdad soldiers from the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division check on the welfare status of the Iraqi army soldiers. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Adrian Cadiz)

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Pfc. Matt Vitug, a native of Crofton, Md., assigned to the 3rd Special Troops Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Multi-National Division - Baghdad, takes cover and provides security in the Sadr City District of Baghdad, Iraq, on April 9 as heavy gunfire erupts in the area. MND-B soldiers where in the area to check on the welfare of the Iraqi army soldiers. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Adrian Cadiz)

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Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers from the 3rd Special Troops Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, take a knee and provide security in the Sadr City District of Baghdad, Iraq, on April 9 as heavy gun fire erupts in the area. The MND-B soldiers where in the area to check on the welfare of the Iraqi army soldiers. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Adrian Cadiz)

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Iraqi army soldiers secure an ally way in the Sadr City District of Baghdad on April 9 as heavy gunfire erupts in the area as Multi-National Division - Baghdad soldiers from the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, arrive to check on the welfare of the IA soldiers. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Adrian Cadiz)

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Staff Sgt. Jason Condreay, a native of Greeley, Colo., assigned to the 3rd Special Troops Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Multi-National Division - Baghdad, provides security on April 9 at an Iraqi army security station in the Sadr City District of Baghdad. The MND-B soldiers where in the area to check on the welfare of the Iraqi army soldiers. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Adrian Cadiz)

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Sgt. Travis Jochimsen, a native of Medford, Wis., assigned to the 3rd Special Troops Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Multi-National Division - Baghdad, provides security at an Iraqi army combat patrol station in the Sadr City District of Baghdad on April 9. The MND-B soldiers where in Sadr City to check on the welfare of the Iraqi army soldiers. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Adrian Cadiz)

COMBAT CAMERA More Combat Camera Imagery on THE TENSION

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U.S. Forensics Team Gives Voice to Saddam’s Victims

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A mass graves investigation team working under the leadership of Dr. Michael “Sonny” Trimble excavates a mass grave in Iraq to provide Iraqi courts evidence of Saddam Hussein’s role in genocide and crimes against humanity. (Photo by Timothy Bradshaw.)

Focus on Defense:

WASHINGTON, April 17, 2008 (AFPS) -- Dr. Michael “Sonny” Trimble saw evidence of Saddam Hussein’s brutality firsthand as he led a team that excavated nine mass graves in Iraq, then looked evil in the eye as he testified in an Iraqi court against the regime’s atrocities.

But through those horrors, Trimble said, he witnessed something awe-inspiring as well: America’s message to the world of its commitment to the rule of law and the value of human life.

A forensic archeologist for the Army Corps of Engineers’ St. Louis District, Trimble received the Army’s Decoration for Exceptional Civilian Service this week for his work leading a mass graves team in Iraq. Army Secretary Pete Geren and Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Richard A. Cody praised Trimble during an April 15 Pentagon ceremony for conducting forensic mass-grave exhumations and analyses that proved Saddam’s role in genocide and crimes against humanity.

The assignment Trimble got in June 2004 was vastly different from his typical work inventorying and maintaining museum collections for the Corps of Engineers. The mission: stand up a forensic-analysis team, buy the necessary equipment, excavate nine major mass graves throughout Iraq, and analyze what the team found at a forensic laboratory the team would set up near Baghdad International Airport.

And the biggest challenge of all: be on the ground digging within 60 days.

Trials against Saddam were already under way, but so far, all evidence against him consisted of testimony and archival evidence such as execution orders he signed. “In the end, in any homicide, you have to have the body,” Trimble said. “You have to be able to show that this person was murdered and how he was murdered. And in the case of genocide, you have to be able to show that the murder was gruesome and cold-blooded -- which, in this case, wasn’t hard to do.”

It was a daunting assignment despite Trimble’s 34 years of forensics experience, the last 21 years with the Army Corps of Engineers. He drew on training he received working with the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command in Hawaii, the only Defense Department organization with a mission anything like the one Trimble and his team would carry out. JPAC excavates and analyzes the remains of suspected U.S. servicemembers still unaccounted for from past conflicts.

Trimble said he is still amazed that he was able to push through all the processes required to get his team on the ground working within two months.

“I’m not sure anyone has ever done that that fast, and I am not sure I could ever do it again,” he said. “It was unbelievable. We were working 16-, 17-, 18-hour days, minimum.”

The way mass graves were excavated in Bosnia is far more typical of the way forensic archeologists work. “You go out after the war is over. No one is shooting at you. You have the luxury of time as you excavate these graves, and you have to excavate them very carefully so that nothing is challenged in court,” Trimble said.

That wasn’t to be the case in Iraq.

“We hit the ground, and they said, ‘You have to start getting these graves, finding them, digging them up, doing it carefully and writing that final report (to the court) that had to be translated into Arabic,’” Trimble said. “We had to do it fast and carefully -- and fast and carefully don’t usually go together, especially in this field.”

When Trimble and his team completed their mission, they didn’t have a body. They had 367. Of those, 301, mostly Kurdish women and children, were uncovered in three mass graves related to Saddam’s 1987-1988 Anfal campaign. Others were Shiites killed during the 1991 uprising in Karbala.

The Anfal campaign left more than 200,000 Kurds dead and possibly far more, but received little international attention, Trimble said. Saddam’s order to execute 148 people in the Shiite town of Dujail -- a crime for which Saddam was later executed -- garnered far more publicity.

Unlike in Dujail, where Saddam singled out men and boys for revenge killings after a failed assassination attempt, the Anfal attacks were part of a longstanding campaign that wiped out nearly every Kurdish village in vast areas of northern Iraq. The campaign aimed to eliminate the Kurdish population, an objective Trimble said was best served by eliminating its women and children.

In many cases, the victims were told they were being resettled. Then, with all their worldly possessions in tow, they were taken deep into the desert to be killed, Trimble said. The killers “had pre-cut linear graves with heavy equipment, and they marched people into the graves, usually in the early evening, and machine-gunned them and covered them up,” he said.

Iraq is riddled with graves of Saddam’s fallen, Trimble said, guessing that he and his team found only a tiny fraction of them. “The whole country is filled with them,” he said.

As they performed in-depth scientific analyses of the remains they found, Trimble and his team felt heartbroken by what they found. Lack of acid in the soil had preserved most of the clothing that clung to skeletal remains, leaving no doubt that the victims were mostly women and children. Women clung to bags of pots and pans and other household goods. Young children lay within reach of pacifiers buried with them in the dirt.

Trimble said he and his team felt an obligation to the victims as they went to work as part of the Department of Justice’s Regime Crimes Liaison Office in Iraq team. Their job was to provide indisputable proof the Iraqi court needed in its three separate cases against Saddam, his cousin Ali Hassan Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti, known as “Chemical Ali,” and other former Baath Party officials.

As a culmination of the team’s efforts, Trimble was called to testify against the defendants. He spent five solid hours in August 2006 recounting to the court his team’s findings, being challenged directly by Saddam as well as Chemical Ali, who Trimble said had the piercing eyes of a “stone-cold killer.”

Following what Trimble described as a “very fair” court process, the court found the defendants guilty.

To Trimble, the convictions weren’t the end of the team’s work. The team members took each set of human remains they had analyzed, wrapped them in cloth, and returned them to the Kurdish people. “It was important for us to show that respect for the human remains,” Trimble said.

The Kurds buried the remains in a national cemetery and plan to build a museum similar to Washington D.C.’s Holocaust Museum to honor those killed. Clothing and other items discovered in the graves will help tell the stories of the Anfal campaign, Trimble said.

Trimble called it a privilege to be a part of the team that helped bring Saddam and his fellow regime members to justice and to ensure the world knew the story of those whose lives they took down. “I felt an obligation to the people I had worked with, but especially to the Kurdish and Shiia people murdered,” he said. “After awhile, you get very close to the bodies of these people, and you really want to take care of them. I felt I owed that to them in a very big way.”

But equally gratifying, Trimble said, was the opportunity to help show the world the values the United States embraces. “I thought this was the best representation of the United States,” he said.

By helping the Iraqis set up a legal system to ensure fair trials, the United States demonstrated its commitment to the rule of law -- not tribalism -- to settle disputes, he said. And by committing people and resources to the process, the United States showed the value it places on human life.

“This was the best story we had going in a tough situation over there,” he said. “It showed the United States coming over, training people, setting up a law system and really showing people in the Middle East that we take life seriously and are willing to put people and resources behind that.”

(Story by Donna Miles, American Forces Press Service.)

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Bush Urges Unity on Anniversary of Beirut Embassy Attack

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President and Nancy Reagan file by the flag-draped caskets of victims of the April 18, 1983, bombing of the U.S. Embassy in Beirut, Lebanon in an April 23, 1983 file photo. Photo courtesy Ronald Reagan Presidential Library

News in Balance:

WASHINGTON, April 18, 2008 (AFPS) -- Twenty-five years after terrorists detonated a massive car bomb, killing 52 people at the U.S. Embassy in Beirut, President Bush urged unity in condemning terrorism he said continues to threaten the United States.

The Islamic Jihad Organization, today known as the terrorist group Hizballah, launched the April 18, 1983, attack that left 17 Americans and 35 Lebanese citizens dead. Those killed included Marine Cpl. Robert V. McMaugh, an embassy guard, and Army trainers Sgt. 1st Class Richard Twine, Staff Sgt. Ben H. Maxwell and Staff Sgt. Mark E. Salazar.

Employees of the State Department and U.S. Agency for International Development and members of the Central Intelligence Agency’s Middle East contingent were also killed.

President Ronald Reagan quickly denounced the “vicious terrorist bombing” as a “cowardly act” that would not deter U.S. goals of peace in the region.

Bush marked the anniversary of the Beirut embassy bombing in a statement released yesterday remembering those killed and honoring the sacrifice of their family and friends and those wounded in the attack. He called the anniversary “a timely reminder of the danger U.S. diplomats, military personnel and locally employed staff bear in their service to the the United States.”

“Since the Beirut attack, we and citizens of many countries have suffered more attacks at the hands of Hizballah and other terrorists, backed by the regimes in Tehran and Damascus, which use terror and violence against innocent civilians,” Bush said. “All nations should condemn such brutal attacks and recognize that the purposeful targeting of civilians is immoral and unjustifiable.”

The bombing was the deadliest terrorist attack the United States had ever faced in its history, although more attacks were to follow.

The Beirut embassy bombing opened a new chapter in attacks against Americans overseas. Six months later, on Oct. 23, 1983, two truck bombs struck barracks in Beirut that houses U.S. and French members of the Multinational Force in Lebanon. The attacks, which occurred 20 seconds apart, killed 241 U.S. Marines, as well as 58 French servicemen and six civilians.

Other embassy attacks were to follow: in 1998 on the embassies in Dar es Salaam,Tanzania; and Nairobi, Kenya; and in 2002 on the U.S. Consulate in Karachi, Pakistan.

Bush noted that the people of Lebanon have remained resilient despite living the better part of three decades living under the threat of violence, assassinations and other forms of intimidation.

“They and their leaders continue to work for a peaceful and democratic future, even as Syria, Iran, and their Lebanese proxies seek to undermine Lebanese democracy and institutions,” he said.

“The United States will continue to stand with the Lebanese people and their government as they struggle to preserve their sovereignty and independence, seek to bring justice to victims of terrorism and political violence, and seek election of a president committed to those values,” Bush said.

(Story by Donna Miles, American Forces Press Service.)

Related: White House Statement

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Thursday, April 17, 2008

Charges Against 9/11 Mastermind, Co-conspirators Resworn

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ARLINGTON, Va., (Sept. 11, 2001) -- Medical personnel and volunteers work the first medical triage area set up outside the Pentagon after a hijacked commercial airliner crashed into the southwest corner of the building. U.S. Navy Photo by Journalist 1st Class Mark D. Faram (Released)

News in Balance:

WASHINGTON, April 17, 2008 (AFPS) -- Prosocutors in the case against the self-described mastermind behind the Sept. 11 attacks and five of his co-conspirators have amended the charge sheet against the detainees to further clarify their activities, a senior Pentagon official announced today.

The reswearing of charges involves the case against Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, more commonly known by his initials, KSM, and five others in connection with the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in New York, the Pentagon and Pennsylvania, Bryan Whitman, deputy assistant secretary of defense, told reporters.

The other defendants in the “9-11 case” are Walid Muhammad Salih Mubarek bin Attash, Ramzi Binalshibh, Ali Abdul Aziz Ali, Mustafa Ahmed Adam al Hawsawi and Mohammed al Kahtani. All are detainees at the Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, detention facility.

The six were charged Feb. 11 with conspiracy, terrorism, murder in violation of the law of war, attacking civilians and civilian objects, intentionally causing serious bodily injury, destruction of property in violation of the law of war, terrorism, and providing material support for terrorism.

Mohammed, bin Attash, Binalshibh, and Aziz Ali also are charged with the substantive offense of hijacking or hazarding a vessel.

The charge sheet also named 2,973 people killed during the Sept. 11 attacks

In announcing the original charges, defense officials also announced their intent to seek the death penalty for all six defendants.

Army Col. Larry Morris, chief prosecutor for the Office of Military Commissions, decided to reswear the charges to add clarity, specify where the crimes occurred, and describe how they were committed, Whitman said today.

Reswearing charges generally occurs in light of new evidence or legal analysis developments as part of pretrial work before a case goes to court, Whitman said. It’s not an unusual practice, he said, and tracks with an established practice of filing superseding indictments within the federal court system, he said.
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The next step in the 9-11 case is for Susan J. Crawford, the Office of Military Commissions’ convening authority, to refer the charges, Whitman said. He compared this procedure to an indictment rendered in a civilian court, with the convening authority reviewing the charges and supporting evidence to determine whether probable cause exists to refer the case for trial. Crawford also also must determine whether the case should be capital.

Air Force Brig. Gen. Thomas Hartmann, legal advisor to the convening authority, has completed his pretrial advice and provided it to Crawford as part of that process, Whitman said.

(Story by Donna Miles, American Forces Press Service.)

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Troops Detain Taliban Leader in Afghanistan

Dispatches from the Front

Dispatches from the Front:

WASHINGTON, April 17, 2008 AFPS) -- Coalition forces in Afghanistan detained a Taliban commander and another suspected terrorist during operations in Zabul province April 15, military officials reported.

The detained terrorist is linked to illegal financial, foreign-fighter and roadside-bomb operations in the province’s Qalat district, officials said. Another suspected terrorist also was detained.

In other news, Afghan army commandos assisted by coalition forces captured a suspected Taliban leader in Khowst province April 14. The detainee is suspected of being a Taliban operative responsible for attacks against Afghan security forces.

The detainee also is suspected of providing housing and intelligence for suicide bombers. Afghan citizens tipped off coalition forces through a program that offers financial compensation for information leading to the capture of terrorists and other criminals or the recovery of weapons.

(Compiled from Combined Joint Task Force 101 news releases.)

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Forces Detain 11 Suspects in Iraq Operations

Dispatches from the Front

Dispatches from the Front:

WASHINGTON, April 17, 2008 (AFPS) -- Coalition forces in Iraq detained 11 suspected terrorists today during countrywide operations targeting al-Qaida in Iraq leaders, military officials reported.
  • In Mosul, coalition forces captured a wanted terrorist and also detained his suspected accomplice. The wanted terrorist in custody is linked to ordering assassinations, leading a bombing cell, overseeing attacks, and personally supervising car-bombing and suicide operations.

  • In Baghdad’s Abu Ghraib sector, coalition forces detained a suspected car-bomb maker and six other suspects. Intelligence reports indicate the alleged bomb maker is associated with al-Qaida leaders in southern Baghdad.

  • During an operation in Jalula, coalition forces detained an alleged explosives expert who facilitates the movement of foreign terrorists into Iraq.

  • West of Beiji, coalition forces detained another suspected terrorist while targeting area al-Qaida leaders.

“Every capture of bombing-network leadership further degrades al-Qaida in Iraq’s ability to attack innocent Iraqis,” said Navy Cmdr. Scott Rye, a Multinational Force Iraq spokesman. “We continue to work closely with everyday Iraqi citizens and Iraqi security forces to identify these terrorists and bring them to justice.”
In other news from Iraq, criminals in Baghdad’s Sadr City sector launched two rockets toward a coalition facility yesterday. Instead, the rockets struck near a mosque in Rusafa, killing one civilian and wounding 10 other people. A house also was damaged during the attack.
“These criminal elements who insist on ignoring the rule of Iraqi law are certainly not working in the best interest of Iraqis,” said Army Col. Bill Buckner, a Multinational Corps Iraq spokesman. “We will continue our efforts to bring these criminals to justice.”
Elsewhere, Iraqi soldiers are taking the lead during Operation Marne Piledriver, a joint U.S.-Iraqi offensive that was launched in the Mahmudiyah area April 15.

“The Iraqi soldiers took (the) initiative from the start,” said U.S. Army Pfc. Nathan Krueger, who is participating in the counterinsurgency operation.

Piledriver’s focus is to remove insurgents while stimulating local economic growth and development, officials said. “The main effort of our portion of Piledriver is to develop multiple (economic) projects as well as solid governance in the area,” U.S. Army Capt. Ryan Mayfield said. “We are providing support to the Iraqi Army wherever they deem it’s needed.”

In other April 15 operations, Iraqi soldiers discovered a weapons cache during a patrol in Haw al-Askery. A tip from a local resident led the soldiers to search inside the trunk of a car. The hidden cache contained: 24 60 mm anti-personnel improvised explosive devices, six rocket-propelled grenades, and two AK-47 rifle magazines.

Iraqi soldiers supporting Operation Marne Piledriver uncovered five weapons caches in Mahmudiyah on April 15. The caches contained: two 155 mm artillery rounds, one oxygen tank rigged as an improvised explosive device, a rocket launcher, two oxygen tanks, two 82 mm mortar tubes, a 3-foot tube of homemade explosives, and multiple pressure strips. Iraqi security forces are targeting insurgents with the help of coalition forces.

In addition, “Sons of Iraq” citizens security group members led U.S. soldiers and Iraqi policemen to a large, buried weapons cache in Tameem, a town east of Baghdad, April 14. The cache was found near the town’s police headquarters.

The cache contained: 389 82 mm mortar rounds, 96 125 mm tank rounds, 172 57 mm anti-aircraft rounds, 38 60 mm mortar rounds, 30 130 mm artillery rounds, 17 122 mm mortar rounds, 15 100 mm rockets, seven 155 artillery rounds, five 100 kg aircraft bombs, and four 120 mm mortar rounds. U.S. soldiers on the scene noted that although the munitions apparently had been buried for over a year, much of the ordnance could still be put to deadly use if it fell into the hands of insurgents.

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

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Iraqi Army Takes Lead in Operation Marne Piledriver

Dispatches from the Front
An Iraqi Army Soldier leads Coalition and other IA Soldiers during a clearance mission in the Mahmudiyah area that started Operation Marne Piledriver April 15. U.S. Army photo by Pvt. Christopher McKenna, 3rd BCT, 101st Abn. Div.

Dispatches from the Front:

FORWARD OPERATING BASE MAHMUDIYAH, April 17, 2008 -- Operation Marne Piledriver launched in the Mahmudiyah area April 15 as Iraqi Army and Coalition forces conducted joint clearance missions.

Soldiers with 1st and 2nd Battalions, 25th Brigade, 6th IA Division and 3rd Battalion, 320th Field Artillery, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) combined to conduct dismounted patrols and an air assault.

“The Iraqi Soldiers took initiative from the start,” said Pfc. Nathan Krueger, from St. Clair, Mich., Battery A, 3-320th FA. “Every time I went into a building, there would already be an IA Soldier clearing or searching the area. Once we got on-site, they took the lead.”

Marne Piledriver is the first Task Force Marne major operation focused on capacity-building projects throughout the Rakkasans’ area of operation. This Iraqi Army-led operation will continue efforts to root out insurgency and stimulate economic growth and development throughout the Mahmudiyah Qada.

“Our role was to support the Iraqi Army,” said Capt. Ryan Mayfield, from Culver, Ind., commander of Battery A. “Because of what has been going on in the whole country, specifically Mahmudiyah, we are continuing to maintain momentum and … provide the basic needs, as well as freedom of movement to the people so that the government and tribes can continue to help build the area.”

The Soldiers from 2/25/6 IA Div. teamed with 3rd Platoon, Btry. A, 3-320th FA on dismount patrols, while 1/25/6 IA Div. partnered with Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 3-320th FA.

“Now that we feel the AQI (al-Qaeda in Iraq) presence is at a minimum, we are about to start establishing Sons of Iraq checkpoints through the area, which adds to the freedom of movement,” Mayfield said. “The main effort of our portion of Piledriver is to develop multiple projects as well as solid governance in the area. We are providing support to the Iraqi Army wherever they deem it’s needed.”

(Story by Pvt. Christopher McKenna, 3rd BCT, 101st Abn. Div. (AASLT) PAO.)

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New Satellite Upgrades Warfighter Support

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Assembly of the Wideband Global SATCOM Satellite took place at Boeing corporation facilities in California. Here, the satellite is being enclosed within the nosecone of the rocket that carried it into orbit. (Photo courtesy AF.mil)

Focus on Defense:

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo., April 17, 2008 (AFPN) -- The most powerful communications satellite in the Department of Defense inventory is circling the Earth and went operational April 15.

The Wideband Global SATCOM, or WGS, satellite is the first of six satellites that will take over long-haul communications from the legacy constellation, the Defense Satellite Communications System, called DSCS.

In the past when a new communications satellite was needed, Air Force officials would build it, launch it and then other services could use the capabilities it provided. Today, the warfighting community, including Air Force Space Command members, get together and define the requirements for today and into the future and then the engineers go to work to design a capability that will support the warfighter for the estimated life expectancy of the satellite.

WGS is an example of such cooperation. Originally planned as a gap filler between the DSCS system and a more capable system, it evolved to become the new system. Each WGS is more capable than the entire nine-satellite DSCS constellation now in operation. The six-satellite WGS constellation should be operational sometime in 2012.

The joint aspect of this satellite constellation is similar to the way the DSCS constellation operates. Air Force Space Command officials are charged with "flying" the WGS satellite through the 3rd Space Operations Squadron located at Schriever Air Force Base, Colo. The 3rd SOPS staff continuously monitors and maintains satellite health by performing daily telemetry, tracking and commanding functions.

The Army's Space and Missile Defense Command/Army Forces Strategic Command staff operates the payload in direct support of the warfighting community and other government agencies throughout the DOD.

Peter Stauffer, the director of the Wideband SATCOM Division at SMDC/ARSTRAT, spoke about the difference WGS payload capabilities will make to the warfighter.

"WGS provides a quantum leap in capabilities -- not only in throughput but also in operational flexibility," he said. "The ability for the warfighter to exchange information faster using higher data rates and more efficiently with the ability to reach different locations simultaneously is part of the inherent capability of WGS. Data, full motion video, maps, voice and imagery will be received and transmitted by warfighters at all levels -- tactical, operational and strategic."

Mr. Stauffer also addressed the difference in operations for the Army units operating the payload.

"Network planning and payload operations for WGS are more complicated than with the DSCS system. The operational flexibility provided by WGS -- cross-banding between X-band and Ka-band, transmitting between multiple beams (multicast), fan-in, and fan-out -- makes planning and payload management more challenging," Mr. Stauffer said. "The expertise and dedication of our people in the SATCOM Support Centers and 53rd Signal Battalion is going to make the difference. They understand the importance of this mission and they will make it happen."

The joint operation of this satellite is an example of Air Force and Army warfighting commands supporting the entire warfighter community.

(Story by by Ed White, Air Force Space Command Public Affairs.)

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Combat Camera: Iraqi Police Patrol Site of VBIED Attack in Baqubah

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Iraqi security forces patrol the site where a vehicle borne improvised explosive device exploded Apr. 15, on Governors Road, in front of the Diyala Governance Center in Baqubah, Iraq. (U.S. Navy photo/Petty Officer 1st Class Sean Mulligan)

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A vehicle borne improvised explosive device exploded Apr. 15, on Governors Road, in front of the Diyala Governance Center in Baqubah, Iraq. The attack destroyed several Iraqi shops along the route. (U.S. Navy photo/Petty Officer 1st Class Sean Mulligan)

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Iraqi security forces patrol the site where a vehicle borne improvised explosive device exploded Apr. 15, on Governors Road, in front of the Diyala Governance Center in Baqubah, Iraq. (U.S. Navy photo/Petty Officer 1st Class Sean Mulligan)

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Iraqi security forces patrol the site where a vehicle borne improvised explosive device exploded Apr. 15, on Governors Road, in front of the Diyala Governance Center in Baqubah, Iraq. (U.S. Navy photo/Petty Officer 1st Class Sean Mulligan)

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Iraqi security forces patrol the site where a vehicle borne improvised explosive device exploded Apr. 15, on Governors Road, in front of the Diyala Governance Center in Baqubah, Iraq. (U.S. Navy photo/Petty Officer 1st Class Sean Mulligan)

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Iraqi security forces patrol the site where a vehicle borne improvised explosive device exploded Apr. 15, on Governors Road, in front of the Diyala Governance Center in Baqubah, Iraq. (U.S. Navy photo/Petty Officer 1st Class Sean Mulligan)

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Iraqi security forces patrol the site where a vehicle borne improvised explosive device exploded Apr. 15, on Governors Road, in front of the Diyala Governance Center in Baqubah, Iraq. (U.S. Navy photo/Petty Officer 1st Class Sean Mulligan)

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Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Combat Camera: Aboard USS Harry S. Truman; April 16, 2008

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PERSIAN GULF (April 15, 2008) Air department Sailors push soapy brooms across the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) during an evening scrub exercise. Truman is deployed supporting maritime security operations. Official U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Patrick Grieco (Released)

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PERSIAN GULF (April 15, 2008) Saluting Sailors on the flight deck, Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. Gary Roughead departs the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75). Roughead is visiting Naval Forces Central Command area of responsibility to strengthen international maritime partnerships as part of the "Cooperative Strategy for 21st Century Seapower." U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Tiffini M. Jones (Released)

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PERSIAN GULF (April 2, 2008) An F/A-18F Super Hornet assigned to the "Swordsmen" of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 32 flies above the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75). Truman and embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 3 are on a scheduled deployment supporting Operations Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom and maritime security operations. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Ricardo J. Reyes (Released)

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PERSIAN GULF (April 15, 2008) Sailors assigned to Air department spray down the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) with a fire hose in an effort to remove built up dirt and grime during a sunset scrubbing exercise. Truman is on a scheduled deployment supporting maritime security operations. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Patrick Grieco (Released)

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PERSIAN GULF (April 15, 2008) Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. Gary Roughead speaks with Sailors and answers questions during an all hands call aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75). Roughead is visiting Naval Forces Central Command area of responsibility to strengthen international maritime partnerships as part of the "Cooperative Strategy for 21st Century Seapower." U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Tiffini M. Jones (Released)

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PERSIAN GULF (April 2, 2008) Two F/A-18F Super Hornets assigned the "Swordsmen" of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 32 fly above the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75). Truman and embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 3 are deployed supporting Operations Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom and maritime security operations. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Ricardo J. Reyes (Released)

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PERSIAN GULF (March 28, 2008) Sailors aboard the Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) monitor flight operations from the ship's carrier air traffic control center. Truman is deployed supporting Operations Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom and maritime security operations. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Patrick Grieco (Released)

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PERSIAN GULF (March 26, 2008) Flight deck personnel prepare to launch the next aircraft in the launch cycle, March 26, 2008 after successfully catapulting an F/A-18 Hornet from the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) during flight operations in the Persian Gulf. Truman and embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 3 are deployed supporting Operations Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom and maritime security operations. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Apprentice Matthew A. Lawson (Released)

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PERSIAN GULF (April 10, 2008) Aviation Machinist's Mate 3rd Class Robert Leggett installs a power transmission shaft in an F/A-18C in Hangar Bay two aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75). Truman is on a scheduled deployment supporting maritime security operations. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Apprentice Matthew A. Lawson (Released)

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PERSIAN GULF (April 2, 2008) Lt. Scott Elrod, assigned to the "Swordsmen" of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 32, checks on his passenger while flying an F/A-18F Super Hornet aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75). Truman and embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 3 are on a scheduled deployment supporting Operations Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom and maritime security operations. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Ricardo J. Reyes (Released)

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PERSIAN GULF (April 02, 2008) Aviation Ordnanceman First Class Joseph Mileker, assigned to the "Gunslingers" of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 105, fires a shotgun from aircraft elevator four during weapons qualification aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN75. Truman and embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 3 deployed supporting Operations Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom and maritime security operations. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Ann Marie Lazarek (Released)

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PERSIAN GULF (March 23, 2008) Command Chaplain Lt. Cmdr. Steven Smith reads from the Bible during a Protestant Easter service aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75). Truman and embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 3 are deployed supporting Operations Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom and maritime security operations. U.S. Navy photo by Seaman Kevin T. Murray Jr. (Released)

Dispatches from the Front:

CNO Visits USS Harry S. Truman

USS HARRY S. TRUMAN, At Sea, April 16, 2008 (NNS) -- Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. Gary Roughead visited the crew of the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) April 15 to address Sailors deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations (AOO).

Roughead is visiting the U.S. Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT) AOO to strengthen international maritime partnerships as part of the Navy's Cooperative Strategy for 21st Century Seapower and meet with regional leaders in an effort to increase dialogue and cooperation.

During his visit to Harry S. Truman, Roughead took time to award three commendation medals as well as reenlist 38 Sailors. He also held an all-hands call for the crew. During his address, the CNO said it was an honor to visit the ship because the crew has done a phenomenal job of representing the dedication and commitment of the U.S. Navy.

"The work of this particular strike group has been extraordinary," he said. "You all are setting the bar, and you should be very proud of that."

Roughead said Sailors should also realize they are making a contribution to the big picture by flawlessly performing daily operations.

"You should be very proud of the operations you are conducting," he said. "The work that you're doing, whether its flying strikes into Iraq, supporting coalition efforts in the Arabian Gulf or the work you're doing with other coalition partners … all makes a huge difference. It's consistent with the strategy that we outline in our program as to where we're taking our Navy."

The Arabian Gulf is a body of water more commonly known as the Persian Gulf.

During his address to the crew, Roughead discussed a ground-breaking change-of-command for Combined Task Force (CTF) 152 between Rear Adm. Bill Gortney, Commander, Carrier Strike Group (CCSG)10, and the Royal Bahraini Navy.

"This is the first time that an Arab nation has stepped up to the leadership role," Roughead said. "I believe when we look back at this, it will resound as a significant event in history and you all have been part of that."

CTF 152 is responsible for Maritime Security Operations in the Central and Southern Persian Gulf. Roughead also discussed his top three priorities while aboard Truman.

"Number one, we have to maintain the readiness we have today to ensure you are able to go out and do the job and be ready to do the things that the nation asks of us," he said. "Another aspect is building tomorrow's Navy. And the other part that, to me is the most important, is about people. If we stand on the ship today and look at the airplanes or fly around in helicopters, all of that has no value … until you make [it all] come alive. What you give to our Navy is absolutely irreplaceable."

Truman is underway in the Persian Gulf on a regularly scheduled deployment to the U.S. 5th Fleet. Operations in the U.S. 5th Fleet AOO are focused on reassuring regional partners of the coalition's commitment to help set conditions for security and stability. U.S. forces maintain a naval and air presence in the region that deters destabilizing activities while safeguarding the region's vital links to the global economy.

(Story by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class (SW) Heather Weaver, USS Harry S. Truman Public Affairs.)

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