Note: The following text is a quote:
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=50629
Soldiers Kill Known Terrorism Facilitator, Detain Suspects in Iraq
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, July 29, 2008 – Coalition forces killed a known terrorism facilitator during an operation in Baghdad today when the man refused to follow instructions to surrender, military officials reported.
Coalition forces shot and killed the man — who was known to be part of a network that provides false documents and moves supplies around Iraq — when he made a threatening movement that was perceived as hostile intent, officials said.
In other operations today:
— Coalition forces detained two suspected terrorists in Baghdad while targeting a car-bombing cell.
— East of Samarra, coalition forces captured an alleged al-Qaida leader and one other suspect. The wanted man reportedly oversees terrorist activity in the region and recruits women to conduct suicide bombings.
— Coalition forces targeted associates of al-Qaida senior leaders during operations in and around Mosul, detaining 13 suspected terrorists.
— Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers detained a key suspected criminal and four of his suspected associates in eastern Baghdad. Soldiers from the 10th Mountain Division’s 4th Brigade Combat Team detained the suspects while conducting an operation specifically targeting them in the New Baghdad district. The individuals allegedly house and hide key criminal leaders, officials said. In addition to detaining the five suspected criminals, the soldiers seized weapons including an AK-47 assault rifle, AK-47 magazines, knives, a camcorder and assorted documents.
In other news from Iraq, coalition forces identified a suspected foreign terrorist facilitator driving southwest of Qaim yesterday. They stopped the man, who was with four children, and detained him without incident. Coalition forces drove the children home and left them in the care of family members.
(Compiled from Multinational Force Iraq and Multinational Corps Iraq news releases.)
Note: The following text is a quote:
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=50632
Coalition Forces Kill Militants in Afghanistan Province
American Forces Press Service
BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan, July 29, 2008 – Several militants were killed during a coalition forces operation targeting a Taliban leader yesterday in Afghanistan’s Ghazni province, military officials reported.
Coalition forces searched compounds in the province’s Gairo district, targeting a militant leader known to conduct foreign fighter operations in Ghazni and Paktika provinces, officials said.
Militants inside a building and around other buildings engaged the force with small-arms fire and rocket-propelled grenades. Coalition forces responded with small-arms fire and air strikes, killing the militants and damaging a building, officials said.
During their search, coalition forces found bomb-making materials and rigged explosives within a building, as well as a vehicle rigged with explosives. Troops also found several rocket-propelled grenades and a vehicle used to transport them.
Coalition forces destroyed the munitions, explosives and both vehicles after moving all residents to a safe location, officials said.
(From a Combined Joint Task Force 101 news release.)
***U.S. Headed for ‘Heightened Alert’ Stage***
http://abcnews.go.com/TheLaw/story?id=5420514&page=1
Exclusive: Major Events on the Horizon Prompt a Surge in Anti-Terror Efforts
By PIERRE THOMAS
July 28, 2008
Government officials have been quietly stepping up counterterror efforts out of a growing concern that al Qaeda or similar organizations might try to capitalize on the spate of extremely high-profile events in the coming months, sources tell ABC News.
Security experts point to next month’s Olympics as evidence that high-profile events attract threats of terrorism, like the one issued this past weekend by a Chinese Muslim minority group that warned of its intent to attack the Games.
Anti-terror officials in the U.S. cite this summer and fall’s lineup of two major political parties’ conventions, November’s general election and months of transition into a new presidential administration as cause for heightened awareness and action.
This is what the Department of Homeland Security is quietly declaring a Period of Heightened Alert, or POHA, a time frame when terrorists may have more incentive to attack.
According to drafts of government memos described to ABC News, the period would run roughly from this August through July 2009.
During this time, homeland security analysts will be asked to redouble efforts to study terrorism leads. And a number of agencies will be asked to review emergency response plans to a variety of attacks, from improvised explosive devices (IEDs) to biological weapons.
Officials also are being asked to make sure they are prepared for all contingencies during the transition from the Bush administration to that of the next president.
In a recent interview, FBI director Robert Mueller told ABC News of his concerns for homeland security.
“When you have a series of events like this which are very public, where you have a number of people that are congregated together, we take additional precautions,” he said.
“That means identifying, focusing on the intelligence that’s available and scrutinizing it to pieces and running it to ground, to putting in place the precautions to assure the particular events go according to plan and free from terrorist attacks,” he said.
At the moment, the nation’s public threat level will remain at yellow, or “elevated,” but not orange, or “high.”
The reasons: There are no specifics indicating an attack on the U.S. is imminent, and U.S. officials do not want to be accused of trying to inject themselves into the presidential campaign.
“That’s a balancing act,” said Jerry Hauer, former Homeland Security official and ABC News consultant. “They really have to focus on these events and this critical time we’re going through as a nation, but they have to be very careful about the public message to not make it look political or like they’re fearmongering.”
Government officials point to the Sept. 11 attacks, which happened just nine months into a new administration, and the Madrid train bombings, which were carried out just three days before Spain’s 2004 general election.
They say history suggests a need to take potential threats seriously — especially in the very near future.
http://www.truthusa.com/IRAN.html
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Note: The following text is a quote:
http://www.mnf-iraq.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=21507&Itemid=128
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
RELEASE No. 20080729-05
July 29, 2008
ISF, MND-B Soldiers seize munitions in Baghdad
Multi-National Division – Baghdad PAO
BAGHDAD – Iraqi Security Forces and Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers seized multiple weapons caches in Baghdad July 29.
At approximately 12 a.m., soldiers with the 24th Brigade, 6th Iraq Army Division seized improvised explosive device components north of Baghdad.
At approximately 11 a.m., Soldiers with the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division seized a cache in the East Rashid district of Baghdad after receiving a local citizen tip. The munitions consisted of a 60 mm mortar round and eight Iranian-manufactured 107 mm rockets.
Police with the 5th Brigade, 2nd National Police Division found a cache in the West Rashid district of Baghdad containing 17 82 mm mortar rounds and five mortar fuses. “MND-B Soldiers and their Iraqi counterparts are aggressively pursuing criminals and seizing their weapons in order to bring about lasting security and stability in Baghdad,” said Lt. Col. Steve Stover, spokesman, MND-B and the 4th Inf. Div. “Given time, we will succeed. There will be a brighter future for all.”
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