Dear Interested Readers,
Leading with a story that should be seen and heard by all - 3 leaders of 3 terrorist cells captured!  More weapon caches out of the hands of terrorists, and many new Iraqi Police recruits graduate to aid their country.  Karbaba is secure enough for ways to look into boosting their economy.
Joanna
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Multi-National Corps - Iraq
Public Affairs Office, Camp Victory
APO AE 09342

March 15, 2008

ISOF, U.S. SF capture suspected leaders of 3 terrorist cells responsible for attacks against LSA Anaconda

BALAD- March 13
In Baghdad, Iraqi Special Ops Forces captured a suspected terrorist and major cell leader allegedly responsible for IED and mortar attacks, hijacking, car theft, kidnapping, murder, and assassination in the area surrounding LSA Anaconda. 
In Balad, ISOF detained the suspected leader of a 15- to 20-man terrorist cell conducting attacks against CF and Sons of Iraq (SoI).  Specifically, the group is believed to be responsible for IED, mortar, and sniper attacks in the vicinity of Balad and LSA Anaconda. 
Also near Balad, ISOF detained the suspected leader of an IED cell operating near LSA Anaconda.  The individual is allegedly also part of a larger terrorist network that conducts mortar attacks against the base.   

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Large weapons cache found in Jabella

FOB KALSU - A local informant led Iraqi Police (IP) to a house in the Jabella neighborhood of al Ressalha, south of Baghdad, where a secret room filled with components of explosively formed projectiles was found March 13.
"This is a significant find and it took material for close to 100 explosively formed projectiles (EFPs) off the streets," said Capt. Andrew Sanders, assistant S-3 for 4th Bde Special Troops Bn, 3rd ID. "This is an (Iraqi SF) success story. They went out without CF and came back with the cache and then contacted CF."  This is the third cache found in this area by the IPs in the past week, said Sanders.

The cache contained multiple EFP components, 18 107 mm rockets, 17 120 mm mortars and numerous other munitions.

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Sons of Iraq member turns in weapons cache

FOB KALSU - A member of the SoI in Arab Jabour turned over a weapons cache to CF in the area March 11. The man brought the cache to Soldiers of Co C, 1st Bn, 30th Inf Regt, 2nd BCT, 3rd ID, stationed at Patrol Base Hawkes.
The removal of the cache helps improve security, not just for Soldiers but also for local residents, said 1st Lt. Timothy Williams, Co C exec. officer. "We've moved thousands of pounds of explosives out of Arab Jabour."

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Camp Fiji Graduation

Iraqi policemen celebrate their graduation from Basic Recruit Training at Camp Fiji March 13. The graduates from today's ceremony will position an additional 358 IP on the streets of Baghdad to improve the civil security force in the province. This graduation is part of Ministry of Interior and MND - Baghdad's expansion program, which places thousands of new Iraqi Police in the line of duty.

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IP recruits graduate from Al Furat Police Training Academy

Iraqi Police recruits wave their country's flag while celebrating their graduation March 13 from the Al Furat Police Training Academy at the academy's training grounds in Baghdad. The ceremony was the largest graduation of IPs to date; more than 1,300 recruits are scheduled to begin on-the-job training at police stations throughout Baghdad.

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Meeting Aims to Boost Karbala Agribusiness, Tourism, Investment
     
By Sgt. Jasmine Chopra

KARBALA — Boosting agribusiness, tourism and private investment by way of social venture capital were the top issues discussed at a March 12 meeting at IP HQ in Karbala.  Iraqi govt officials, local businessmen, MND - Center leaders and provincial reconstruction team (PRT) members participated in the meeting.
Security in Karbala is steadily improving, said Karbala provincial governor al-Khazali, as evidenced by the millions of pilgrims who safely commemorated Ashura in the holy city.  “Karbala is ready for investment,” al-Khazali said.
With improved safety, local business leaders and PRT members are planning ways to link Karbala to U.S. Agency for International Development programs as well as lucrative private investment, said Don Cook, a PRT team leader.
Vast agricultural resources, in particular poultry farms, make opportunities for high return in the agribusiness sector possible, said A.A. Araji, an agricultural economist who believes employing the use of greenhouses is an efficient way for Karbala to maximize its agricultural potential.
In addition to agribusiness opportunities, participants discussed ways to tap into Karbala’s religious tourism potential.  Considered a holy city to most Shia Muslims, Karbala is home to sacred shrines. Under Saddam Hussein’s regime, the pilgrimage to Karbala was banned. This year’s Ashura events (which occurred late February- early March) were largely peaceful, Jawad said, speaking through an interpreter.
Participants also explored ways of bringing private investors to the table.  “We want to see the people of Karbala succeed,” Cardon said.

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