Multi-National Corps – Iraq
Public Affairs Office, Camp Victory
APO AE 09342

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
RELEASE No. 20070625-01
June 25, 2007

ISF, CF discover execution house, illegal prison in Baqouba
Multinational Division North-PAO

BAQOUBA, Iraq – Iraqi Security Forces and Task Force Lightning Soldiers discovered an execution house and an illegal prison in the Baqouba neighborhood of Khatoon Sunday during the sixth day of Operation Arrowhead Ripper.

The two buildings were in the same area as a torture chamber and illegal courthouse linked to al-Qaida, which were found on the fourth and fifth day of the operation.

Soldiers from 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment discovered the execution house using information from local citizens, who said it had been used by al-Qaida. Soldiers searching the house found five bodies buried in the yard behind the building and bloody clothes in several rooms inside it.

Located nearby, a house had been converted into an illegal prison with several numbered rooms and bars covering the building’s windows. Several blind folds were found inside.

Elsewhere in Baqouba, Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment identified a house that was filled with explosives and had been booby trapped. The Soldiers cleared the area and destroyed the house through the use of attack aircraft and indirect fire.

“The fact that we continue to find these booby-trapped houses filled with explosives and torture chambers only reaffirms that al-Qaida has no regard for the safety and welfare of the people of Baqouba – They only want to see death and destruction,” said Col. Gary Patton, chief of staff for Task Force Lightning.

ISF and CF also discovered 10 weapons caches throughout Baqouba on Sunday. These included four anti-tank mines, three rocket-propelled  grenade launchers, 18 rocket propelled grenades with boosters, 13 AK-47 rifles, nine hand grenades, two flak vests, thousands of rounds of ammunition and a box of al-Qaida propaganda.

Since the beginning of Operation Arrowhead Ripper, at least 58 al-Qaida operatives have been killed, 60 have been detained, 23 weapons caches have been discovered, 52 improvised explosive devices have been destroyed and 17 booby-trapped structures have been destroyed.

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