Iraqi Interior Minister Falah al-Naqib said in Baghdad last week that security forces recently arrested four terrorists who tried to attack a polling place during the Jan. 30 elections. "As far as I know, one of those who blew himself up was from Chechnya; another one was from Sudan; and a third person, who was killed, was a Syrian," he said. Another Syrian was arrested. A total of 15 terrorists were arrested during the elections and two cars filled with explosives were seized.
During one raid last week, Iraqi National Guard troops seized 16 trucks filled with weapons, explosives and cash. According to Iraqi authorities, the people involved in the arms smuggling admitted to having ties to Iranian intelligence in areas that include Samara, Balad, Najaf and Latifiyah. The captured smugglers provided details of the activities of the Al Fajer, a branch of Iran's Ministry of Intelligence and Security, which is working to recruit Iraqis for terrorist operations. |