Posted on 08/06/2007 3:45:36 PM PDT by mdittmar
BAGHDAD, Aug. 6, 2007 – Fed-up with violent and indiscriminate terror tactics, a group of more than 80 residents of the Adhamiyah district, on the east side of the Iraqi capital, banded together yesterday to oust suspected terrorists from a local mosque.
The uprising led to a string of events over the next 12 hours that ultimately resulted in the arrest of 44 suspected terrorists and the capture of three weapons caches.
The initial takeover of the Abu Hanifa Mosque occurred at about 2 p.m., apparently triggered by news that terrorists had murdered two relatives of a prominent local sheik. As the news spread, angry residents joined the sheik to storm the mosque, long believed to be a sanctuary for terrorists operating in the area, and ousted the suspected terrorists inside from the building.
Iraqi army troops from 1st Battalion, 1st Brigade, 11th Infantry Division, responded quickly to control the situation and secure the area around the mosque. Residents led them to several individuals among those ousted from the mosque who were suspected of being involved in terrorist activities. Thirteen suspects eventually were detained.
After order was restored, the Iraqi army received a tip about a weapons cache hidden near the mosque. At about 7 p.m., Iraqi forces returned to the Abu Hanifa Mosque and uncovered a massive illegal weapons cache in an outside courtyard. The cache contained several already-assembled improvised explosive devices, dynamite, mortars, rockets, landmines, bomb-making materials, and various weapons.
Shortly after midnight, acting on information volunteered by Adhamiyah residents, Iraqi and U.S. Army forces from 3rd Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division, attached to the 82nd Airborne Division's 2nd Brigade Combat Team, mounted a combined cordon-and-search operation of the Al Assaf Mosque, in the nearby Maghrib neighborhood. Iraqi soldiers entered and cleared the mosque and who took three suspects into custody.
Immediately afterward, Iraqi and U.S. forces returned to the Abu Hanifa Mosque area to investigate reports of additional weapons caches. Iraqi soldiers again entered the building to search the mosque compound and the cemetery behind it.
They discovered two more weapons caches, which contained two IEDs, 16 mortars, two hand grenades, a sniper rifle, remote detonation devices, radios and more than a dozen weapons. Twenty-eight suspects were taken into custody.
"I think this was a turning point," said Army Lt. Col. Jeff Broadwater, commander of 3rd Battalion, 7th Cavalry. "The people of Adhamiyah have made their stand, and they've showed by their actions that terrorists are not going to be able to come into their backyard and engage in violent acts any longer."
Will be reported on CNNHN tonight, I am sure. /sarcasm
Nice one. The tide continues to turn.
I fully expect to see this reported all across the MSM tomorrow..............
I hope they’re reporting on this extensively in the Iraqi papers and television. (I’m assuming they won’t be reporting on it here.)
A mosque being used as a terrorist base? No way.
We need to have the freedom to enter any Mosque in our country at any given time, without prior notice, and arrest any that are using the Mosque to hide weapons, explosives, maps, photos of nuclear plants, bridges, buildings, etc.
I have no doubt whatsoever, that Mosques in our country are being used as safe harbors to plan attacks against us.
Thank you for posting this.
Good for the residents. BUT, why did they have to go in and do something. Where were the Iraqi police/army and/or our military? We are still trying to conduct a PC military operation.
Hazarding a guess the Insurgents seem to really value the stuff that doesn't get cleaned up the first go around, take their lives in their hands and go back for the remaining supplies. Looks like they are being waited upon and secondarily cleaned up.
Keep turning the screws! Keep rounding them up!
!
Is that enough sarcasm or should I continue?
Nice...Iraqis’ continue to take back their country from foreign terrorist.
It’s more than Time Magazine’s journalist who’s embedded with the enemy has EVER done.
This is the best kind of success in Iraq. I doubt it would ever happen if we were to pull out or the Iraqi citizens thought we were leaving soon. Reprisals can be a bitch.
Repeat this a couple thousand times and it really will be over.
Does this mean it’s time for us to surrender?
Good news! The Dems are profoundly saddened now. And, that is good news, too!
Good for the People of Iraq.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.