Soldiers Discover Large Weapons Cache, Detain Suspected Criminal
Saturday, 19 July 2008 ~ By Multi-National Division – Baghdad Public Affairs Office
More than 150 81 mm mortar rounds line the ground in the Rashid district of Baghdad July 15. The find, based on a citizen’s tip, is part of the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Multi-National Division - Baghdad, Soldiers’ efforts in ‘Operation Raider Nor’easter’ in the Rashid district of southern Baghdad. Photo by Multi-National Corps - Iraq Public Affairs.
FOB FALCON — Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers discovered a large weapons cache and detained a suspected special groups criminal during ‘Operation Raider Nor’easter’ in the Rashid district of southern Baghdad, July 15.
Based on an Iraqi citizen’s tip, Soldiers from the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, discovered a large weapons cache while conducting a security operation in the Abu T’shir neighborhood at approximately 4:15 p.m.
The cache consisted of (45) 107 mm rockets, (46) 120 mm mortar rounds, (152) 81 mm mortar rounds, (139) 60 mm mortar rounds, and four 40 mm PG-7-A2 rounds, all Iranian-manufactured.
Also found were a 60 mm mortar tube, a 120 mm mortar tube with base plate, (27) brand new AK-47 assault rifles, (13) rocket propelled grenade launchers, approximately (10,000) rounds of new 7.62 mm ammunition stamped March 2008, (36) rocket fuses and nine optical sights for RPG launchers.
The Soldiers also detained the individual responsible for transporting the cache. The patrol moved the cache and suspect to a nearby Coalition Force base for processing.
“The significance of this cache recovery cannot be overstated,†said Col. Allen Batschelet, chief of staff for MND-B and the 4th Inf. Div. “The cache was recovered based on an Iraqi citizen’s tip. We caught the criminal transporting the munitions and recovered numerous weapons that would undoubtedly have caused an untold number of senseless casualties. This is a good day for the Iraqi people.â€