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

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
RELEASE No. 20060818-08

August 18, 2006

Iraqi forces capture 3 key death squad leaders

BAGHDAD – Iraqi army forces conducted precision raids on three separate objectives in Baghdad on Aug. 18 capturing three death squad leaders, all of whom participated in a massacre of Iraqi families in Al Jihad in July.    

As coalition advisers provided support, Iraqi forces captured all three of these individuals in the Al Rasheed district without incident.

The first individual is a senior level insurgent leader believed to be the overall leader and a participant in a July 9 ambush of Iraqi families at a checkpoint in the al Jihad area.

The second individual is another senior level insurgent leader whose cell allegedly established the checkpoint in al Jihad on July 9.  He and his cell are also believed to be responsible for kidnappings and murders in two Baghdad districts; improvised explosive device, or IED attacks in the city; and burning and looting local businesses.

The final individual and his cell are alleged participants in the 9 July massacre.  His cell is also believed to be responsible for: kidnapping and murdering Iraqi citizens and then attaching the bodies to cars and dragging them through the streets; and conducting IED attacks.  

Iraqi forces seized three AK-47 assault rifles during the operation.

No Iraqi forces, Coalition forces or civilians were injured.

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