OIF Summary, Dec. 9, 2009: Forces in Iraq Nab 8, Including Terrorist Leader

Dispatches from the Front:

WASHINGTON, Dec. 9, 2009 -- A senior leader of the Promised Day Brigade terrorist group was among eight people Iraqi security forces arrested in three operations today, military officials reported.

Iraqi forces and U.S. advisors searched homes in northern Baghdad for the senior leader, a suspect in weapons distribution and funding to Promised Day Brigade groups for attacks on civilians and security forces throughout the Iraqi capital. The man is believed to have ties to Promised Day Brigade leaders operating from safe havens in Iran.

Following preliminary questioning and investigating evidence at the scene, Iraqi forces identified and arrested the senior leader without incident.

In another operation today, Iraqi forces and U.S. advisors searched two homes in a rural area southwest of Baghdad for an alleged al-Qaida in Iraq member believed to be assisting senior leaders of the terrorist network in staging vehicle-borne bomb attacks in the region.

Evidence collected at the scene led to the arrest of five suspected criminal associates of the wanted terrorist.

During a separate security operation in Abu Ghraib, west of Baghdad, Iraqi forces and U.S. advisors searched a building for a suspected al-Qaida in Iraq leader. They arrested a suspected terrorist without incident after discovering incriminating evidence on the premises.

(Compiled from Multinational Force Iraq news releases.)