The Hindu : International : U.S. forces find huge rebel bunker system in Iraq

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jun 06, 2005

International

International

U.S. forces find huge rebel bunker system in Iraq

Complex was bigger than four football pitches

BAGHDAD: U.S. forces on Sunday said they have discovered an ``insurgent lair'' in Iraq's restive Al-Anbar province, including a bunker system the size of four football pitches and dozens of weapons caches.

The U.S. military announced the discovery of the bunkers dug into an abandoned quarry near Karmah, west of the capital, along with 50 weapons caches unearthed in the last 72 hours.

The whole complex was 170 metres wide and 275 metres long or bigger than four football pitches, it said, and fresh food inside showed the hideout had been recently inhabited.

Fully furnished

Fully furnished living spaces were found in the warren, along with a kitchen, showers and an air conditioner, hi-tech combat equipment such as night vision goggles and a large haul of weapons and ammunition.

``Coalition forces and ISF (Iraqi security forces) found numerous types of machine guns, ordnance, including mortars, rockets and artillery rounds, black uniforms, ski masks, compasses, log books, night vision goggles, and fully charged cell phones,'' it said.

Marines were sifting through the site in search of intelligence after which the arms and ammunition were to be destroyed.

Al-Qaeda activist held

In another development, Iraqi police have arrested a key aide to the leader of the Mosul branch of the Al-Qaeda in Iraq, the Government said on Sunday.

Mutlaq Mahmoud Mutlaq Abdullah, also known as Abu Raad, was arrested on Saturday. He is considered a key facilitator and financier for a militant identified by the alias Abu Talha, the purported head of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi's terror cell in Mosul, 360 km northwest of Baghdad.

A statement released by Iraq's Cabinet said Abu Raad ``coordinates terrorist activities'' and ``supervises the funds available to the terrorist cell led by Abu Talha.''

``(Abu Raad) arranges meetings between Abu Talha and some terrorists and is familiar with his plans and crimes committed in Mosul, such as murder, rape and kidnappings,'' said the statement.

Maj. Gen. Khalil Ahmed al-Obeidi, commander of the Iraqi army in Mosul plus several other northern Iraqi areas, confirmed the arrest of Abu Raad, but provided no further details.

The Government statement said Abu Raad supervised the collection of money obtained through donations and criminal activities, such as blackmail, abduction and theft.

News of Abu Raad's arrests comes one day after Iraqi police announced the capture of another prominent Mosul-based militant, Mahdi Moussa al-Jabouri, also known as Mullah Mahdi, the purported head of the Mosul cell of the feared terror group Ansar al-Sunnah Army.

Ansar al-Sunnah is linked to al-Qaida in Iraq and has claimed responsibility for multiple bombings, kidnappings and beheadings. — Agencies

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

International

News Update

Stories in this Section

U.S. forces find huge rebel bunker system in Iraq

Saddam Hussein to be tried on only 12 charges

Alpine tunnel shut after fire accident

Child soldiers of Congo want to stop killing

Row over Cherie Blair's "lucrative tour" of U.S.

"Ershad's wife a victim of political intrigue"

U.K. prepares for "carbon-neutral" summit

Nixon knew identity of "Deep Throat"

Gulf nations urged to aid Africa debt relief plan

Swiss vote to join E.U. zone

Four killed in Sri Lanka

More time, consultations needed: Hurriyat

Dhaka denies ULFA-run hotels, accounts