NOTE: The following text is a quote:
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=46822
Suspected Terrorists Detained in Iraq, al Qaeda Cell Leader Killed
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, July 24, 2007 – Iraqi and coalition forces detained numerous suspected terrorists and killed an al Qaeda in Iraq cell leader in operations over the last three days, military officials reported.
Three synchronized raids west of Taji today targeted al Qaeda operatives associated with senior terrorist leaders and criminal activity. Coalition forces captured one individual suspected of attacking coalition forces and detained 15 others for their alleged links to hijackings and weapons facilitation.
Also today, during a raid northwest of Balad, coalition forces captured a foreign terrorist suspected of involvement in a suicide car-bomb attack in Samarra and detained three other suspected terrorists for their alleged ties to the foreign terrorist.
“We’re continuing to hunt down those who terrorize the people of Iraq,” said Army Maj. Marc Young, a Multinational Force Iraq spokesman. “Criminals and foreign terrorists have no place in the future of this country.”
In operations yesterday, Iraqi security forces killed a senior member of an al Qaeda cell and detained seven suspected insurgents in a series of early-morning raids at a terrorist training camp.
With coalition forces present as advisors, Iraqi security forces cleared a series of buildings located on an abandoned Iraqi army base in the Hamrah region, northeast of Karmah. Iraqi security forces were engaged by an enemy shooter at one of their objectives. An assault team moved to positively identify and kill the shooter, a senior al Qaeda cell member. Various rifles, pictures and identification cards also were seized during the operation.
The abandoned base reportedly was being used as a training facility and safe house for active insurgents and foreign fighters. Several insurgent groups from Fallujah and other western Iraqi cities are suspected to have used the facility for small-arms training and other activities, U.S. officials said.
In other news, Iraqi soldiers, with U.S. Special Forces as advisors, detained seven suspected al Qaeda terrorists in Bulayj on July 22. One of the alleged operatives is suspected of being a key weapons supplier, arming foreign fighters and other operatives who conduct terrorist attacks for al Qaeda in Iraq. In addition to the captured terrorists, 77 AK-47 assault rifles were confiscated during the operation.
(Compiled from Multinational Corps Iraq news releases.)
http://www.truthusa.com/IRAN.html
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http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=46824
Crocker: Iran’s Actions, Not Words, Critical for Iraqi Security
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, July 24, 2007 – The success of today’s talks between the United States, Iraq and Iran will be measured not by words, but through changing conditions on the ground in Iraq, U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan C. Crocker said in Baghdad today. (Video)
Iraqi Foreign Affairs Minister Hoshyar Zebari hosted the meeting, which included U.S. and Iranian officials, to discuss security in Iraq. The talks were the second for the group, which last met May 28 in the first direct talks between the United States and Iran in 27 years.
Speaking with Baghdad reporters following the second round of talks, Crocker expressed frustration that Iran continues to focus on process rather than results. “This discussion has to be measured in results, not in principles or promises,” he said. “And thus far, the results on the ground are not encouraging.”
Despite Iran’s stated policy of promoting a peaceful and stable Iraq, Crocker said, its actions aren’t measuring up. In fact, evidence shows there’s been “an escalation, not a de-escalation” in Iran’s involvement in Iraq since the last trilateral meeting.
“As we made very clear in today’s talks, over the roughly two months since our last meeting, we have actually seen militia-related activity that can be attributed to Iranian support go up and not down,” he said. “And you all have seen in (Multinational Force Iraq) briefings the detail we have on that, the evidence that supports it.”
Crocker said the U.S. delegation reiterated its concern that Iran is arming and training violent militia elements. He noted that statements by detainees and Iraqi munitions captured in Iraq also point directly to Tehran.
“There is no question in our minds that this support is going on,” he said. “It is not something we need to prove in a court of law.”
While it’s important that the United States and Iran agree in principle to support a democratic, stable Iraq, Crocker said, these principles amount to little if they’re not acted on. “The test and the challenge is applying those principles on the ground,” he said.
The three delegations agreed that al Qaeda poses a threat to all three countries and discussed forming a security subcommittee to address it, Crocker said.
He said he made it clear that today’s meeting would focus only on Iraqi security. “This is not a forum to address other issues in the Iranian-U.S. relationship,” he said.