Targeting the Top of al Qaeda in Iraq’s Leadership

Coalition forces conducted anti-insurgent operations over the past few days in Iraq, killing terrorists and capturing suspects. Here's the rundown -

-- A senior member of an al Qaeda media cell gave himself up to coalition forces during a raid in Mosul. He led coalition forces to the media cell headquarters, where they discovered jihadist propaganda and media materials. Three additional suspects were detained.

-- In Baghdad, coalition forces detained two suspects in a raid on al Qaeda in Iraq senior leaders and car-bomb cells.

-- One suspect was killed and two detained in a raid southwest of the capital city that targeted close associates of al Qaeda senior leaders.

-- In Ramadi, coalition forces captured two suspected terrorists during a precision raid. One is an alleged associate of a terrorist who facilitates the movement of foreign terrorists into Iraq for suicide operations.

-- Two coordinated raids in Baghdad targeted members of the Baghdad bombing network. Coalition forces detained five suspected terrorists linked to an al Qaeda leader overseeing the bombing network and two more suspected terrorists with ties to an al Qaeda weapons facilitator.

-- Coalition forces detained eight suspected terrorists north of Taji during a raid targeting a direct associate of al Qaeda senior leaders known for using improvised explosive devices.

“We’re targeting the top of al Qaeda in Iraq’s leadership as well as the operatives who conduct attacks that harm innocent Iraqis, and we’re taking them off the streets so the people of Iraq can live without fear of vicious terrorist attacks,” said Maj. Marc Young, a Multinational Force Iraq spokesman.