OIF Summary, Dec. 15, 2009: Forces in Iraq Arrest 9 Terrorism Suspects

Dispatches from the Front:

WASHINGTON, Dec. 15, 2009 -- Iraqi security forces arrested nine suspected terrorists in four operations today, military officials reported.

In a rural area north of Baghdad, an Iraqi emergency response unit and U.S. advisors searched a home for a suspected al-Qaida in Iraq member who is believed to make and distribute bombs for use in attacks throughout the Tarmiyah and Baghdad region.

Preliminary questioning and evidence collected at the scene led Iraqi police to identify and arrest the warranted man and a suspected criminal associate.

During a second security operation near Beiji in Salahuddin province, police and U.S. advisors searched several buildings for a suspected al-Qaida in Iraq member believed responsible for rocket attacks and kidnappings in the area. They arrested two suspected criminal associates of the warranted man based on evidence discovered at the scene.

In eastern Mosul, Iraqi forces and U.S. advisors searched several buildings for a suspected al-Qaida in Iraq leader for Salahuddin province believed to oversee terrorist activities throughout the region. Two suspected criminal associates of the warranted man were arrested without incident.

Based on intelligence and warrants issued by the Central Criminal Investigation Court of Karkh, Iraqi special operations forces and U.S. advisors arrested three alleged al-Qaida in Iraq members.

One of the suspects is believed to be a high-level terrorist financier with direct ties to Dec. 8 attacks in Baghdad that resulted in numerous deaths and injuries, as well as other violence.

The other suspects arrested with him are believed to be associated with multiple sectarian killings and attacks on Iraqi security forces and U.S. forces in the Abu Ghraib area.

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