CENTCOM NEWS RELEASE

August 14, 2003
Release Number: 03-08-34

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

COALITION AND IRAQI PEOPLE WORK TO MAKE IRAQ SECURE

BAGHDAD, Iraq-Iraqi citizens continue to cooperate with Coalition forces, preventing attacks and breaking up a counterfeit operation.

Local citizens prevented two possible attacks by informing 1st Armored Division soldiers of the location of improvised explosive devices. In the first incident, a taxi driver reported the location of a possible IED to soldiers on patrol. An explosive ordnance team determined the IED was a 155 mm shell with a circuit board and wires. The EOD team disabled the device. The other IED location tip came from a walk in source. Upon arrival, the unit found a 105 mm round with wiring set to detonate in a white bag with two rocket-propelled grenade rounds beside it.

The 1st AD, acting on a tip from a local source regarding a possible counterfeit money operation raided a house in Baghdad on Aug 12. In the raid, 1st AD confiscated millions of uncut counterfeit Dinar, pictures of Saddam, copiers, computers and various weapons. In another house search, 1st AD seized more than 4 million Iraqi Dinar; an assortment of weapons and more than 500 hundred rounds of small arms ammunition.

In other operations, the 4th Infantry Division and elements from their task force, detained four suspected former regime loyalists, in a raid conducted near Tikrit on Aug. 12. In other operations, 4th ID detained four additional individuals. Confiscated weapons include 98 rocket-propelled grenades rounds, 33 rounds of 82 mm mortars, 12 AK-47s, one 60 mm mortar tube, 43 rounds of 60 mm mortar. Additionally, 4.6 million Iraqi Dinar and military uniforms and helmets were confiscated.

In the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force area of operation, Iraqi police turned in two SA-7 missiles, six anti-tank rockets, four 82 mm mortar tubes and two cans of .50 caliber ammunition they discovered in a warehouse in Al Hillah. In another weapons find, a local source turned in more than 50 rocket-propelled grenade launchers.

In the past 24 hours, coalition forces conducted 13 raids, 843 day patrols and 639 night patrols. The units also conducted 143 day patrols and 100 night patrols with Iraqi police.