OIF Update, Feb. 5, 2010: Forces Nab Terrorism Suspects in Iraq

Dispatches from the Front:

WASHINGTON, Feb. 5, 2010 -- Iraqi security forces, aided by U.S. advisors, arrested seven terrorism suspects in operations in Iraq today and yesterday, military officials said.

Iraqi security forces arrested a suspected terrorist today during a security operation to search for an attack cell leader in southwestern Baghdad associated with the Jaysh al-Mahdi terrorist organization.

Iraqi forces and U.S. advisors searched three buildings for the suspected leader, who’s believed to be responsible for coordinating training in Iran for militants loyal to the terrorist organization. He also allegedly is involved in weapons smuggling and is believed to be planning rocket attacks and assassinations targeting government officials in Baghdad.

Information gathered during the operation resulted in the arrest of a suspect associated with the leader.

Meanwhile, Iraqi security forces arrested six suspected terrorists yesterday during an operation in western Mosul to capture an al-Qaida in Iraq leader for the Mosul area.

Acting on an Iraqi court-issued warrant, Iraqi forces, aided by U.S. advisors, stopped two vehicles in which the suspected leader was believed to be traveling.

Iraqi forces arrested six suspected criminal associates of the leader.

(Compiled from U.S. Forces Iraq news releases.)