Iraqi security forces working with U.S. advisors arrested three terrorism suspects, and a tip led to discovery of an enemy weapons stockpile in recent operations in Iraq.

Iraqi forces arrested two suspected terrorists today during a combined operation conducted in western Baghdad targeting the al-Qaida in Iraq terrorist group to hinder planned attacks preceding the country’s upcoming election.

Iraqi forces and U.S. advisors searched a building for the suspected leader of an al-Qaida in Iraq group believed to be responsible for conducting high-profile attacks and robberies in Baghdad. Following preliminary questioning and examination of the evidence at the scene, Iraqi forces arrested two suspected criminal associates of the wanted man.

In Iraq’s Salahuddin province Feb. 28, Iraqi forces with U.S. advisors arrested a suspected cell leader of the Islamic State of Iraq terrorist group in Beiji.

Iraqi officials believe the suspect is responsible for financing and supporting terrorist operations and housing foreign fighters in the province.

Intelligence reports also indicate the individual allegedly is connected to an assassination and kidnapping cell, and that he personally beheaded several victims, officials said. An Iraqi court issued a warrant for the suspect’s arrest.

In Tarmiyah on Feb. 26, information from a concerned Iraqi civilian led to Iraqi forces discovering four enemy weapons caches.

Acting on a tip about possible homemade explosives being stored for use during the March 7 elections, Iraqi forces coordinated with U.S. forces in searching for possible caches in the area. The tip proved accurate when Iraqi forces located four separate caches yielding multiple types of weapons. The first cache uncovered 10 bags of homemade explosives. Each bag contained 50 to 70 pounds of explosives with detonation cords attached.

Shortly after removing the explosives from the first cache, the Iraqi forces discovered a second cache that included three barrels with eight 57 mm mortars inside and an additional 38 mortars underneath. Also found were 25 30 mm grenades, a 75 mm artillery round, five 90 mm artillery rounds, more than 50 artillery and rocket base caps and nine top halves of 120 mm shells.

After removing the contents of the second cache, Iraqi forces continued the search, finding a third cache containing two rocket-propelled grenade launchers. A 57 mm mortar tube with the base plate was found at a fourth site.

Iraqi security forces collected all of the contents from the searches and took them to a secure area, where an explosive ordnance disposal team destroyed them.

Iraqi security forces arrested three suspected terrorists Feb. 26 during two operations here and in northern Iraq aimed at preventing attacks designed to disrupt the upcoming national elections.

In western Baghdad, Iraqi forces and U.S. advisors searched a building for a suspected leader of a terrorist group that provides support and assistance to al-Qaida in Iraq by carrying out attacks and assassinations.

Following preliminary questioning and collection of evidence at the scene, Iraqi forces identified and arrested the wanted man and a suspected criminal accomplice.

In a separate operation conducted in a rural area southeast of Kirkuk, Iraqi forces and U.S. advisors searched several buildings for a suspected al-Qaida in Iraq member who carries out bombing attacks throughout the Tigris River Valley.

Information gathered during the operation led Iraqi police to arrest a suspected criminal associate of the wanted man.

Apparently the news media last week jumped the gun by announcing the trial of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and four other 9-11 terrorism suspects would not be tried in federal court in Manhattan. President Barack Obama said during an interview televised on CBS News on Sunday that he had not ruled out holding the trials in New York City, but he acknowledged that there are logistical issues and local opposition that makes such a high profile court proceeding difficult.

Iraqi forces, with U.S. advisors, in recent days arrested 20 people suspected of terrorist activities in Iraq, military officials reported.

Iraqi soldiers today arrested a suspected terrorist during a combined security operation in northeastern Baghdad targeting a suspected member of a Kataib Hezbollah terrorist network cell.

Iraqi soldiers and U.S. advisors acted upon a court-issued warrant to search two buildings for a suspected Kataib Hezbollah member wanted for rocket and mortar attacks in the capital city. Evidence discovered at the scene led the soldiers to arrest a suspected criminal associate of the warranted man.

Yesterday, Iraqi police arrested three suspected terrorists during a combined security operation targeting a suspected al-Qaida in Iraq bomb-cell member about 15 miles south of Mosul.

Acting on a court-issued warrant, the police and U.S. advisors searched several buildings for the suspected terrorist, who’s wanted for staging deadly vehicle-borne bomb attacks against security forces in Mosul.

After questioning people and assessing evidence at the scene, the police arrested three suspected criminal associates of the warranted al-Qaida in Iraq member.

On Jan. 10, Iraqi forces arrested 11 suspected terrorists during three combined operations in Baghdad and northern Iraq to arrest several suspected members of al-Qaida in Iraq.

In southeastern Baghdad, Iraqi forces and U.S. advisors searched a home for a suspected al-Qaida in Iraq member who works directly for the leadership of the terrorist group and maintains a network of safe houses for other terrorists in the area.

Based on preliminary questioning and other evidence collected at the scene, Iraqi forces identified and arrested the targeted man, as well as six suspected criminal associates, without incident.

During a separate security operation in Beiji, southwest of Kirkuk, an Iraqi emergency response unit and U.S. advisors searched a building for a suspected al-Qaida in Iraq member who coordinates suicide-vest attacks in the region. The unit arrested four suspected criminal associates of the suspected terrorist without incident.

Iraqi forces, aided by U.S. advisors, arrested several suspected terrorists and seized weapons in recent days, military officials reported.

Iraqi security forces today arrested 14 suspected terrorists during a series of operations conducted in northern Iraq targeting suspected al-Qaida in Iraq members.

In southwest Baghdad, Iraqi forces, aided by U.S. advisors, arrested a suspected al-Qaida in Iraq explosives operative believed to be planning and conducting homemade bomb attacks throughout Diyala province.

Meanwhile, in a separate operation in Jalula, northeast of Baghdad, Iraqi and U.S. forces arrested four suspected al-Qaida members.

Also today, while conducting an operation southwest of Kirkuk, Iraqi and U.S. forces arrested nine suspected al-Qaida members.

During an operation in Ninevah yesterday, Iraqi and U.S. forces shot and killed a suspected terrorist after he fired at them. Another suspect was arrested.

Also yesterday, Iraqi security forces arrested three suspected terrorists during operations conducted near Mosul and Baghdad.

Additionally, a surveillance crewman on board a 25th Combat Aviation Brigade surveillance aircraft spotted three suspicious men digging and placing an unknown object alongside a road north of Kirkuk on Dec. 25.

As members of a route clearance team attempted to capture the suspects, two of the suspects began shooting. The patrol returned fire, killing one suspect and injuring another. The third suspect surrendered. The soldiers discovered two homemade bombs where the suspects had been digging. They also found two 105 mm artillery rounds, a 122 mm artillery round, a landmine and an 80 mm mortar round. A U.S. explosive ordnance disposal team used C4 explosives to destroy the bombs and artillery rounds.

After questioning the non-injured suspect, Iraqi soldiers went to his house and arrested three more suspects.

In other operations in Iraq:

– Iraqi police and U.S. advisors arrested four suspected terrorists Dec. 25 and 26 in northeastern Mosul while targeting a suspected member of al-Qaida in Iraq believed to be responsible for suicide vest attacks in Balad and Muqdadiyah.

– Iraqi police arrested a suspected terrorist group leader and nine suspects Dec. 26 during security operations near Tikrit. The security team discovered five 107 mm rockets, more than 20 rocket-propelled grenades, seven RPG launchers, two 80 mm mortars and more than 1,000 rounds of ammunition.

– Iraqi security forces arrested two terrorist suspects during a Dec. 26 operation in northeastern Baghdad.

– Iraqi security forces arrested five suspected members of the Kata’ib Hezbollah terrorist group Dec. 24 in northeastern Baghdad.

– Iraqi security forces arrested two suspected terrorists Dec. 24 in Tikrit. The suspects are believed to be associates of a leader of a Jaysh al-Islami Mujahadeen explosives cell that operates in Bayji.

Iraqi security forces working with U.S. advisors arrested seven terrorism suspects today during two security operations, military officials reported.

Four suspects were arrested in Rashidiyah, north of Mosul, during an operation conducted to arrest a suspected al-Qaida in Iraq member believed responsible for suicide-vest attacks in Balad and Muqdadiyah.

Evidence collected at the scene led Iraqi forces to arrest four suspected criminal associates of the al-Qaida in Iraq member without incident.

In southern Baghdad, Iraqi forces arrested a suspected member of a Kataib Hezbollah explosives cell believed to be responsible for mortar attacks conducted in September against security forces and civilians in the Basra region and two suspected accomplices.

After conducting preliminary questioning and examining evidence at the scene, Iraqi forces arrested the alleged Kataib Hezbollah member and his accomplices without incident.

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.