US troops recover large weapons haul in Iraq

US troops have uncovered a substantial cache of weapons in an insurgency-hit city west of Baghdad after a local man led them to a house containing the arsenal, a statement said.

The man showed troops a house in Ramadi, located in the so-called "Sunni triangle" and a focus of anti-coalition guerrilla activity linked to pro-Saddam Hussein elements.

The statement said the haul included 33 anti-tank and 16 anti-personnel rocket propelled grenade rounds, in addition to 10 kilograms of high explosives, cash and communications gear.

More than a dozen suspected rebels were also arrested by US 101st Airborne Division troops in weekend operations in northern Iraq, a separate military communique said.

Meanwhile in the southern Iraqi city of Amara, British troops were on alert after a weekend of unrest in which six Iraqis died when British troops and Iraqi police opened fire on protestors.

Soldiers closed a bridge near local government buildings where jobless Iraqis have demonstrated, and were searching pasers-by, but they did not prevent people from gathering again for a third day, witnesses said.

Foot patrols had also been increased in the area from which Iraqi police have withdrawn after accusations that they opened fire on the crowd without warning on Saturday.

A spokesman for the British military in Iraq said he was unaware of any fresh protests in Amara or any extra security measures.

"Obviously they will be monitoring the situation and reacting as appropriate," he said.

1 posted on 01/12/2004 9:16:06 AM PST by knighthawk

To: MizSterious; rebdov; Nix 2; green lantern; BeOSUser; Brad's Gramma; dreadme; Turk2; keri; ...

2 posted on 01/12/2004 9:16:23 AM PST by knighthawk (Live today, there is no time to lose, because when tomorrow comes it's all just yesterday's blues)

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3 posted on 01/12/2004 9:19:07 AM PST by Support Free Republic (If Woody had gone straight to the police, this would never have happened!)

"searching pasers-by"

How did that one get by the spell checker?

4 posted on 01/12/2004 9:20:28 AM PST by Ingtar (Understanding is a three-edged sword : your side, my side, and the truth in between ." -- Kosh)

Thanks for the post. I hope this makes a good-sized dent in the insurgents' attacks.

5 posted on 01/12/2004 9:22:53 AM PST by syriacus (Schumer's unhappy fed judges have lifetime positions, so he should work to amend the US Const.)

Gee - a local man actually helped our troops? I bet this makes headlines in the NYTimes...</sarcasm

This steady chipping away at the enemy has to be hurting them. It's a shame that you have to go to the Australian Broadcasting Company to get this news and can't get it at the American Broadcasting Company.

7 posted on 01/12/2004 9:40:56 AM PST by Jaxter ("Vivit Post Funera Virtus")

8 posted on 01/12/2004 10:33:05 AM PST by Jaded (Personally, I think they should bring back flogging and burning at the stake. /so)

Gee - a local man actually helped our troops? I bet this makes headlines in the NYTimes...

-----
Yeah, along with a picture of the poor dude so the insurgents can find him and blow him off the map. They only want to help.

9 posted on 01/12/2004 10:46:15 AM PST by gooleyman

Yeah, along with a picture of the poor dude so the insurgents can find him and blow him off the map. They only want to help.

I'm sure we can get his name from Le Monde or the Paris Tribune...

10 posted on 01/12/2004 11:19:53 AM PST by talleyman (It takes a village to raise an idiot. (Wimpy tag line? Order Vi-tag-ra here!))

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