MedicCook
05-06-2007, 05:19 PM
9 U.S. soldiers, journalist killed; torture chamber found
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- The U.S. military reported nine soldiers died in Iraq on Sunday -- all but one in combat -- bringing to 22 the number of American service members who have died in Iraq in the first week of May.
The deadliest attack happened Sunday in Diyala province when six U.S. soldiers and a journalist were killed in a roadside bombing, the U.S. military said.
Two soldiers also were injured in that attack.
The military did not release the journalist's nationality.
Also Sunday, two U.S. soldiers with Multi-National Division Baghdad were killed in separate bombings and two others were wounded, the military said.
A Task Force Lightning soldier died Sunday in a noncombat incident that is under investigation.
A British soldier also died Sunday from wounds sustained in southern Iraq when a roadside bomb exploded last week near the soldier's convoy, the British Defense Ministry said.
Torture chamber discovered
U.S. and Iraqi forces chasing a suspected terrorist with ties to Iran early Sunday discovered a bloodstained torture chamber and a massive amount of artillery stored in a building in Baghdad's Sadr City, the U.S. military said.
"Had that thing gone off -- when you start talking about 150 artillery shells -- the extensive damage that it could have done in killing innocent civilians in Sadr City would have been horrific," U.S. military spokesman Maj. Gen. William Caldwell said at a news conference Sunday.
The building was destroyed in a controlled explosion by a U.S. military ordnance team. Video showed a massive pile of rubble, with some debris landing on nearby cars. Other vehicles had shattered windows, possibly from the impact of the blast.
There were no reports of any casualties among coalition or Iraqi security forces.
Sadr City, a densely populated Shiite neighborhood, is a stronghold of radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr's Mehdi Army militia.
Caldwell would not reveal specific information about the "known terrorist" that was the target of the intelligence-driven raid because he was still on the run.
"As best we know this was some kind of Shia extremist element, some sort of secret cell," Caldwell said.
Multiple bomb attacks
Insurgents wreaked more havoc Sunday by killing at least 45 other people and wounding dozens more in multiple bomb attacks.
The deadliest bomb attack took place in a market in southwestern Baghdad's Bayaa section around noon. An Iraqi Interior Ministry official said a parked car bomb explosion killed 33 people and wounded 74 others.
Insurgents frequently target busy markets to produce the most carnage. Police and government officials are also prime targets.
One police officer was killed and three others were wounded while patrolling Baghdad's Saydia neighborhood when a roadside bomb exploded, an Interior Ministry official said.
Earlier in the day, six police officers were killed and 10 others were wounded when a suicide car bomber exploded outside the police headquarters in Samarra, located just north of Baghdad.
A Samarra police official said the attack took place just as a curfew imposed to prevent such attacks was lifted. The curfew was immediately reimposed.
The Islamic State of Iraq -- the insurgent umbrella group that includes al Qaeda in Iraq -- had recently warned Samarra police that they would be targeted in future attacks, which prompted the curfew.
Within Baghdad's central Mansour district, at least five people were killed and 10 others were wounded in the blast from an explosives-rigged car parked near the Labor Ministry, an Interior Ministry official said.
http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/05/06/iraq.main/index.html
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- The U.S. military reported nine soldiers died in Iraq on Sunday -- all but one in combat -- bringing to 22 the number of American service members who have died in Iraq in the first week of May.
The deadliest attack happened Sunday in Diyala province when six U.S. soldiers and a journalist were killed in a roadside bombing, the U.S. military said.
Two soldiers also were injured in that attack.
The military did not release the journalist's nationality.
Also Sunday, two U.S. soldiers with Multi-National Division Baghdad were killed in separate bombings and two others were wounded, the military said.
A Task Force Lightning soldier died Sunday in a noncombat incident that is under investigation.
A British soldier also died Sunday from wounds sustained in southern Iraq when a roadside bomb exploded last week near the soldier's convoy, the British Defense Ministry said.
Torture chamber discovered
U.S. and Iraqi forces chasing a suspected terrorist with ties to Iran early Sunday discovered a bloodstained torture chamber and a massive amount of artillery stored in a building in Baghdad's Sadr City, the U.S. military said.
"Had that thing gone off -- when you start talking about 150 artillery shells -- the extensive damage that it could have done in killing innocent civilians in Sadr City would have been horrific," U.S. military spokesman Maj. Gen. William Caldwell said at a news conference Sunday.
The building was destroyed in a controlled explosion by a U.S. military ordnance team. Video showed a massive pile of rubble, with some debris landing on nearby cars. Other vehicles had shattered windows, possibly from the impact of the blast.
There were no reports of any casualties among coalition or Iraqi security forces.
Sadr City, a densely populated Shiite neighborhood, is a stronghold of radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr's Mehdi Army militia.
Caldwell would not reveal specific information about the "known terrorist" that was the target of the intelligence-driven raid because he was still on the run.
"As best we know this was some kind of Shia extremist element, some sort of secret cell," Caldwell said.
Multiple bomb attacks
Insurgents wreaked more havoc Sunday by killing at least 45 other people and wounding dozens more in multiple bomb attacks.
The deadliest bomb attack took place in a market in southwestern Baghdad's Bayaa section around noon. An Iraqi Interior Ministry official said a parked car bomb explosion killed 33 people and wounded 74 others.
Insurgents frequently target busy markets to produce the most carnage. Police and government officials are also prime targets.
One police officer was killed and three others were wounded while patrolling Baghdad's Saydia neighborhood when a roadside bomb exploded, an Interior Ministry official said.
Earlier in the day, six police officers were killed and 10 others were wounded when a suicide car bomber exploded outside the police headquarters in Samarra, located just north of Baghdad.
A Samarra police official said the attack took place just as a curfew imposed to prevent such attacks was lifted. The curfew was immediately reimposed.
The Islamic State of Iraq -- the insurgent umbrella group that includes al Qaeda in Iraq -- had recently warned Samarra police that they would be targeted in future attacks, which prompted the curfew.
Within Baghdad's central Mansour district, at least five people were killed and 10 others were wounded in the blast from an explosives-rigged car parked near the Labor Ministry, an Interior Ministry official said.
http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/05/06/iraq.main/index.html