Iraqi security forces working with U.S. advisors arrested nine suspected terrorists over the last two days, military officials reported.

Eight of the arrests occurred today during four combined operations in central and northern Iraq.

In southwestern Baghdad, Iraqi forces and U.S. advisors found bomb-making materials and arrested a suspected al-Qaida in Iraq leader whose group is believed to be responsible for conducting high-profile attacks and robberies in Baghdad.

Iraqi forces and U.S. advisors found triggering devices for explosives while searching for a suspected member of an al-Qaida in Iraq cell believed to be responsible for planning and executing bombing attacks and assassinations throughout the region. Information and evidence gathered during the operation led Iraqi forces to identify and arrest the wanted man and two suspected criminal associates.

In Hafriyah, southeast of Kirkuk, an Iraqi emergency response unit and U.S. advisors searched for a suspected terrorist-group leader who is believed to be helping other terrorist groups plan and conduct attacks designed to discourage participation in Iraq’s upcoming elections. After questioning people and examining the evidence at the scene, Iraqi police arrested two suspected criminal associates of the wanted man.

Meanwhile, in a rural area northeast of Baghdad, an Iraqi emergency response unit and U.S. advisors searched for a suspected al-Qaida in Iraq member who assists the terrorist group’s leadership in communicating instructions and messages between Iraq’s Diyala province and Baghdad. Evidence and information collected during the operation led Iraqi police to arrest two suspected criminal associates of the wanted man.

Yesterday in Ninevah province, Iraqi forces and U.S. advisors arrested a suspected cell leader affiliated with the Islamic State of Iraq terrorist group in Mosul. The suspect is accused of ordering vehicle-bomb attacks in northern Iraq. Officials also believe he ordered assassinations and bombing attacks on Iraqi forces throughout Ninevah.

In addition, officials said, intelligence reports indicate the cell may be linked to manufacturing bombs for several cells in the Mosul area.

The nation’s highest court will hear a case that may redefine the difference between humanitarian aid and aiding and abetting terrorist groups such as Hamas, Hezbollah, al-Qaeda and Tamil Tigers.

The Humanitarian Law Project, a left-wing special interest group, contesting part of federal law that prohibits “material support” to terrorists and nations such as Iran.

Dick Morris says that Barack Obama erroneously makes anti-terror investigators – not terrorists – the objects of government scrutiny. Not to mention that Obama doesn’t have the stomach to face down rogue nations. Where I come from, they would call the POTUS a p—-.

Iraqi forces working with U.S. advisors have arrested more than two dozen suspected terrorists and killed others during a series of operations in the past two days to break up terrorist groups in Iraq, military officials reported.

In the largest sweep, Iraqi Forces today arrested 22 suspected terrorists with the Iranian-backed Kataib Hezbollah group during operations with U.S. forces targeting a weapons-smuggling and rocket-attack network operating in rural villages southeast of Baghdad near the Iranian border.

An unknown number of suspected Kataib Hezbollah terrorists were killed during the operation, officials said.

Intelligence reports led Iraqi forces and U.S. advisors to the village of Ali ash Sharqi, 160 miles southeast of Baghdad, in search of weapons caches and smugglers loyal to Kataib Hezbollah.

While approaching the village, the team was fired upon by people dispersed in several homes. Members of the team returned fire, killing the perpetrators. Local authorities transported the bodies to an Iraqi medical facility in the area. While the number of casualties has not yet been confirmed, officials said, initial reports indicate five people were killed.

During the engagement, one suspect fled on foot, but was apprehended in a nearby field. The suspect suffered injuries while fleeing and was evacuated to a nearby medical facility for treatment.

The team continued the operation and arrested 12 suspected Kataib Hezbollah terrorists believed to be smuggling and stockpiling Iranian-made weapons near homes in Ali ash Sharqi.

In Ali al Gharbi, a village 145 miles southeast of Baghdad, Iraqi forces and U.S. advisors searched with warrants for members of Kataib Hezbollah who conduct assassinations, extort civilians and local Iraqi businesses, and transport weapons from Iran into southern Iraq.

They searched several homes and found electric circuits used to detonate improvised explosive devices, several assault rifles and military equipment. Iraqi forces arrested 10 suspected Kataib Hezbollah weapons smugglers believed involved in rocket attacks against security forces.

Iraqi and U.S. intelligence indicates a recent increase in smuggling by members of Kataib Hezbollah, who then stockpile weapons and explosives in Iraqi communities for future attacks.

Kataib Hezbollah has claimed responsibility for rocket attacks aimed at security forces working to secure populated areas. Combined security operations today along the Iranian border were expected to disrupt Kataib Hezbollah’s efforts to transport rockets, explosives and other weapons into Iraq, officials said.

In other operations in Iraq, Iraqi forces arrested five suspected terrorists today during two operations in northern Iraq targeting two al-Qaida in Iraq bombing cell leaders.

In Rashidiyah, five miles northwest of Mosul, a combined team searched a home for a suspected leader of an al-Qaida in Iraq explosives cell that carries out attacks throughout the region. Based on evidence and information gathered during the operation, Iraqi forces arrested three suspected criminal associates of the wanted man.

In an operation in Baqouba, 32 miles northeast of Baghdad, the Iraqi 3rd Emergency Response Unit and U.S. advisors searched two homes for a wanted al-Qaida in Iraq leader in Diyala province. The terrorist group is responsible for IED attacks, assassinations and kidnappings in the area.

Information gathered at the scene led Iraqi police to arrest two suspected criminal associates of the wanted terrorist.

Iraqi Security Forces captured an explosives and assassination-cell leader and four additional suspected terrorists today during three operations here and in northern Iraq to suppress al-Qaida in Iraq, military officials said.

In western Baghdad, Iraqi forces and U.S. advisors searched two residential buildings with court warrants for two members – one a leader — of an AQI cell responsible for numerous assassinations and improvised explosive device attacks in the region.

Iraqi Security Forces identified and arrested both men and a suspected criminal accomplice based on preliminary questioning and evidence collected at the scene.

During a separate security operation in Abu Ghraib, about ten miles west of Baghdad, ISF and U.S. advisors searched a residential building for a suspected terrorist cell member who builds and employs IEDs in coordination with AQI, targeting security forces in Iraq.

The security team arrested the suspect after finding numerous electronic components used to make IEDs and IED initiators in his apartment and an adjacent workshop.

In a third operation last night, in a rural area south of Kirkuk, Iraqi forces and U.S. advisors searched a building for a suspected AQI member who provides safe haven for visiting AQI leaders.

Evidence collected at the scene led Iraqi police to arrest a suspected criminal associate of the warranted man.

Iraqi security forces arrested 20 suspected terrorists in operations in Iraq over the last two days, military officials reported.

Fourteen of the suspects were arrested during four combined security operations in Baghdad and northern Iraq designed to degrade al-Qaida in Iraq operations, officials said.

In northwestern Baghdad yesterday, Iraqi forces and U.S. advisors arrested a wanted terrorist-cell leader believed to be closely associated with senior al-Qaida in Iraq members in Baghdad and to be responsible for planning bombing attacks. Iraqi forces arrested the wanted cell leader and a suspected criminal associate based on preliminary questioning and evidence collected at the scene.

Today in southwestern Baghdad, Iraqi forces and U.S. advisors searched several buildings for a suspected terrorist cell member who builds and employs bombs targeting security forces in Iraq in coordination with al-Qaida in Iraq. The suspect also is wanted for hiding terrorist weapons.

A roadside-bomb arming device and forged official documents were found on scene. Based on evidence and information gathered during the operation, Iraqi forces arrested the wanted suspect and nine suspected criminal associates.

Also today, an Iraqi emergency response unit and U.S. advisors in Muqdadiyah, northeast of Baghdad, searched a building for a suspected member of an al-Qaida in Iraq attack cell that conducts bombing attacks against Iraqi forces and civilians.

Evidence collected at the scene led police to arrest a suspected criminal associate of the wanted cell leader.

Members of the same emergency response unit and U.S. advisors also conducted an operation near Sulayman Bak, southeast of Kirkuk, searching several buildings for a suspected al-Qaida in Iraq cell leader. Iraqi police arrested a suspected criminal associate of the wanted man.

In Baghdad yesterday, Iraqi federal police with U.S. forces advisors, acting on a warrant, arrested six suspected terrorists. The suspects allegedly are affiliated with an al-Qaida in Iraq cell in the Arab Jabour area. The cell is responsible for bombing and small-arms attacks against Iraqi forces.

Iraqi forces working with U.S. advisors arrested numerous suspected terrorists and seized enemy weapons in various operations in Iraq in recent days.

Iraqi forces arrested 11 suspected al-Qaida in Iraq members — including the suspected commander and two deputies of their cell — in a rural area northwest of Baghdad today.

The cell is believed to be responsible for maintaining weapons caches and carrying out deadly attacks against civilians and security forces. During a search, the security team found a shotgun, numerous assault rifles, packaging material used to transport explosives, a small rocket and terrorist propaganda.

Preliminary questioning and evidence collected at the scene led Iraqi police to identify and arrest all five cell members wanted on their arrest warrant, including the suspected commander and deputies, as well as six suspected criminal accomplices.

Iraqi security forces arrested two suspected terrorists Feb. 7 during a combined operation in northeastern Mosul to capture a military commander for the Ansar al-Islam terrorist group. A suspected terrorist was killed during the operation.

Acting on a warrant issued by an Iraqi court, Iraqi forces and and U.S. advisors stopped two vehicles to arrest the Ansar al-Islam military commander, whose group fabricates mobile rockets and improvised explosive devices frequently used in attacks against security forces in the region.

The suspected terrorist in the first vehicle was questioned, identified as a suspected criminal accomplice of the warranted individual, and arrested without incident.

After the security team stopped the second vehicle, the driver pulled a pistol from behind his back and pointed it toward security team members. Members of the security team engaged and killed him.

Following the vehicle stops, the security team searched a building from which the suspected terrorists had driven their vehicles — a location confirmed by several previously arrested al-Qaida in Iraq members. The security team found a large cache of weapons and munitions.

The contents of the cache included 20 shoulder-launched surface-to-air missiles, several machine guns and assault rifles, other assault weapons, several sniper rifles, rockets and rocket parts, mortar tubes and mortar rounds, mines, IED-making material, a robot that can be used to remotely transport IEDs, body armor, license plates and night-vision devices.

A man found in the building containing the weapons cache was arrested as a suspected criminal accomplice of the warranted Ansar al-Islam commander.

North of Baghdad yesterday, Iraqi forces arrested six suspected terrorists during two combined security operations north of Baghdad designed to capture two terrorist-group leaders.

In a rural area located north of Baghdad, Iraqi forces and U.S. advisors searched several buildings for a suspected al-Qaida in Iraq leader linked to numerous criminal activities, including providing financial support and weapons to terrorist group members and conducting IED attacks.

Preliminary questioning and evidence collected at the scene led Iraqi forces to arrest a suspected criminal associate of the wanted individual.

During a separate security operation in a rural area north of Baghdad, the Iraqi forces and U.S. advisors searched several buildings for a suspected leader of the Salahuddin Brigade insurgency group, which is responsible for multiple rocket and IED attacks against security forces in the area. Evidence collected at the scene led Iraqi police to arrest five suspected criminal associates of the wanted individual.

On Feb. 7, Iraqi forces with U.S. advisors arrested a suspected Islamic State of Iraq terrorist group cell leader in the Sharqat district of Salahuddin province. An Iraqi court issued an arrest warrant for the suspect, who is accused of facilitating the movement and transportation of magnetically attached bombs used in attacks on Iraqi forces.

Also on Feb. 7, Iraqi forces captured a suspected Baghdad explosives-cell member and arrested four other suspected terrorists during combined operations near Baghdad and Mosul to disrupt the operations of al-Qaida in Iraq explosives cells.

In the town of Hamariyah, west of Baghdad, Iraqi forces and U.S. advisors searched several buildings for a man believed to be responsible for preparing vehicle-borne IEDs used in various deadly attacks throughout Baghdad.

Following preliminary questioning and evidence collection, Iraqi forces identified and arrested the wanted man and two suspected criminal accomplices.

During a separate operation in Bawirah, north of Mosul, Iraqi soldiers and U.S. advisors searched a building for a member of an al-Qaida in Iraq bombing cell that is active in northern Mosul. Evidence found in the building included an assault rifle, two pistols and ammunition.

Based on the results of preliminary questioning, the Iraqi soldiers arrested two suspected criminal associates of the wanted individual.

In a Feb. 6 operation, and Iraqi emergency response unit arrested a suspected terrorist in a rural area northeast of Baghdad.

Based on a warrant issued by an Iraqi court, Iraqi police and U.S. advisors searched several buildings in the Hamrin Lake area to arrest a suspected al-Qaida in Iraq member. Preliminary questioning and evidence collected at the scene led Iraqi police to arrest a suspected criminal associate of the warranted individual.