Iraqi security forces yesterday arrested a suspected al-Qaida in Iraq leader during a combined operation in Mosul, military officials said.

Iraqi forces, accompanied by U.S. advisors, searched a building for the suspected al-Qaida leader believed responsible for assassinations against Iraqi judicial and police officials, and coordinating improvised explosive device attacks against Iraqi security forces.

Information and evidence gathered at the scene led Iraqi forces to identify and arrest the warranted man.
In June 8 operations:

– Iraqi forces arrested three suspected al-Qaida in Iraq criminal associates during a combined operation in northern Iraq.

– In western Mosul, Iraqi forces and U.S. advisors searched multiple buildings for a suspected al-Qaida leader suspected in attacks on Iraqi and coalition forces. Information and evidence gathered at the scene led Iraqi forces to identify and arrest three suspects.

– Iraqi security forces in Baghdad arrested a suspected al-Qaida in Iraq leader and four criminal associates during combined operations. In western and northern Baghdad, Iraqi forces and U.S. advisors searched multiple buildings for the al-Qaida leader suspected in attacks on Iraqi and coalition forces. Information and evidence gathered at the scene led Iraqi forces to identify and arrest the warranted man and four suspected criminal associates.

Iraq security forces, working with U.S. advisors, arrested 15 terrorism suspects, some of them cell leaders, in Iraq in recent days, military officials reported.

Iraqi forces arrested eight suspected terrorists today in three combined operations conducted to arrest terrorism suspects wanted on warrants in northern Iraq.

In western Mosul, Iraqi forces and U.S. advisors searched a home for a suspected al-Qaida in Iraq member who coordinates funding, weapons and equipment for a bombing cell in the region. After examining evidence at the scene, Iraqi forces arrested three suspected criminal associates of the warranted al-Qaida in Iraq member without incident.

In Beiji, southwest of Kirkuk, Iraqi police and U.S. advisors conducted traffic stops of two vehicles to arrest a wanted al-Qaida in Iraq member suspected of staging deadly bombing and rocket attacks in Mosul and participating in kidnappings of Iraqi civilians.

Security forces stopped two minibuses in southern Beiji based on credible reports that the wanted man was a passenger on one of the buses. Following preliminary questioning and examination of evidence at the scene, Iraqi police arrested four suspected criminal associates of the wanted man without incident.

Also in Beiji today, an Iraqi emergency services unit arrested a man during an operation targeting a suspected member of an al-Qaida in Iraq cell. Iraqi police and U.S. advisors searched several buildings with a warrant for the alleged al-Qaida in Iraq member, who is believed to be responsible for multiple kidnappings and bombing attacks in the region. Following a preliminary examination of evidence at the scene, Iraqi police arrested a suspected criminal associate of the warranted al-Qaida in Iraq member.

In northeastern Baghdad today, Iraqi forces arrested four suspected terrorists during a combined operation to arrest a suspected member of the Kataib Hezbollah terrorist network. Iraqi forces and U.S. advisors searched several homes for the wanted suspect, who acquires and distributes weapons and bombs to terrorist members who conduct attacks in the Iraqi capital.

In other recent operations in Iraq:

• Iraqi forces and U.S. soldiers arrested a man Dec. 19 on charges of being involved with terrorist groups in the Baghdad area. Based on a warrant issued by an Iraqi judge in Bayaa, U.S. troops of the 30th Heavy Brigade Combat Team and Bayaa police apprehended Sayf Ali Abbas, believed to be responsible for kidnapping and planting roadside bombs.
• Elements of a northern Iraq emergency response battalion, working with U.S. forces, arrested Aqil Jabar al-Tamimi on terrorism charges Dec. 17 near Tikrit by the authority of a warrant issued by the Central Investigative Court of Karkh. Aqil, a suspected Jaysh al-Madhi insurgent force cell leader, allegedly is responsible for the kidnapping of Iraqi civilians. He also is a suspected bombing cell leader believed to be responsible for multiple attacks on Iraqi security forces and other terrorist activities throughout Diyala province through financing and recruiting new members.
• Iraqi and U.S. forces arrested Ali Hussein Hassan Farhat on a warrant for terrorism in northern Iraq, Dec. 15. Farhat, a member of the Islamic State of Iraq terrorist group, was wanted by authorities for his alleged role in multiple assassinations and vehicle-borne bomb attacks in Mosul and throughout Ninevah province.

Iraqi forces, aided by U.S. advisors, arrested seven suspected terrorists today while searching for terrorist network leaders, military officials reported.

Iraqi security forces with U.S. advisors arrested five suspected vehicle-bomb network members while searching for a suspected al-Qaida in Iraq bomb network leader west of Mosul.

The security team searched two buildings at the targeted location. During the search, the team encountered a suspected terrorist who became physically combative. The suspect grabbed the weapon of one of the security officials, and subsequently was shot and killed.

The team apprehended five others who were identified as suspected members of the Mosul-based network. Iraq forces arrested the suspects.

Meanwhile, Iraqi soldiers arrested two suspects on warrants during a security operation in northwest Baghdad.

Iraqi soldiers and U.S. advisors searched two buildings for a Jaysh al-Mahdi terrorist group member wanted on a court warrant for allegedly was planning homemade bomb attacks against security forces in Iraq.

The team did not find the man, but arrested two suspects based on evidence found at the scene linking them to criminal activity.

Iraqi security forces, working with U.S. advisors, apprehended a bribery suspect and an associate of an alleged extortionist yesterday in Mosul, Iraq, military officials reported.

Acting on a warrant, Iraqi forces searched several buildings for extortion ring members operating in the area. During the search, the team apprehended a man who identified himself as a lawyer who represents members of the Islamic State of Iraq terrorist group in the area. While questioning the lawyer, the Iraqi forces determined he was wanted on a warrant for having suspected ties to the terrorist group’s extortion ring in Mosul.

The lawyer allegedly has used money stolen from local companies and private citizens to pay government officials to release jailed criminals, and also is believed to have stolen money from construction companies, factories and private citizens to fund terrorist attacks and criminal activity. He is believed to represent numerous terrorists and have ties to senior terrorist group leaders, officials said.

Also in Mosul yesterday, federal police arrested an associate of an extortion ringleader suspected of stealing from local residents and businesses.

A new law has gone into effect that will provide servicemembers some extra support to deal with credit card bills.

An Illinois Army National Guard unit returned home from Afghanistan Wednesday.

U.S. and Iraqi forces have recovered an unmanned aerial vehicle that crashed on a rooftop in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul last month.

When soldiers of the 10th Mountain Division arrived in Logar Province, Afghanistan last Spring they were being attacked on a daily basis.