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IA Captures Weapons Cache in Baghdad Mosque
Multi-National Corps – Iraq PAO

BAGHDAD – Special Iraqi Army Forces captured a large weapons cache during operations with Coalition advisers Feb. 14 in central Baghdad.

Iraqi Forces entered the Barantha Mosque during operations targeting illegally armed militia kidnapping, torture and murder activities. The mosque is reportedly used as a place to conduct sectarian violence against Iraqi civilians as well as a safe haven and weapons storage area for illegal militia groups.

While Coalition Forces established security around the mosque, Iraqi Forces entered the mosque in search of the weapons cache. Security guards at the mosque cooperated with Iraqi Forces during the search. Iraqi Forces took every effort to have doors and locks opened by key holding escorts during the search.

Iraqi Forces found and confiscated three PKC heavy machine guns and 80 assault rifles.
Minimal damage occurred during operations and there were no Iraqi civilian, Iraqi Forces or Coalition Forces casualties.

Iraqi, U.S. forces seize extensive caches in Iraq
Multi-National Division – Baghdad PAO

LUTIFIYAH, Iraq — A combined operation of Iraqi and Multi-National Division - Baghdad forces discovered and destroyed two caches of weapons and improvised explosive device-making materials near Lutifiyah, Iraq Feb. 13.
Soldiers of the 1st Battalion, 4th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division in conjunction with the 2nd Battalion, 15th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), discovered the stockpile west of Lutifiyah at approximately 12:30 p.m. while on patrol.
The first cache contained a land mine, a silencer, 20 feet of detonation cord, a nine-volt battery, a washing machine timer, 11 blasting caps, 10 feet of crush wire, 5,000 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition, five rocket-propelled grenade propellant charges, four RPG rounds, a Dragonov sniper rifle magazine, 60 unlinked rounds of 5.56mm ammunition, 70 linked 5.56mm rounds, six AK-47 magazines, eight black masks, three tactical vests with Iraqi flags on them and a drum of ammunition for a medium machine gun.
The second cache, found nearby, contained 11 RPG rounds with propellant charges and five RPG launchers.
The weapons were seized and destroyed in a controlled detonation.

‘Polar Bears’ nab caches in unexpected finds
Multi-National Division – Baghdad PAO

By Spc. Chris McCann
2nd BCT, 10th Mtn. Div. (LI) Public Affairs

RUSHDI MULLAH, Iraq — Multi-National Division – Baghdad forces found several large caches along Iraq’s Mulla Fayad Highway near the village of Rushdi Mullah, Iraq Feb. 14.
Soldiers of Company C, 4th “Polar Bear” Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) were burning reeds along the highway to destroy concealment used by terrorists when they heard explosions caused by the fires at approximately noon.
They discovered a directional charge loaded with explosives, four empty directional charges, five tank rounds, a burned AK-47 and two magazines, two 60mm mortar base plates, and 300 rounds of AK-47 ammunition.
The remainder of the cache was destroyed with a controlled detonation.
Later that afternoon, a patrol from Co. C found five more caches in the same area, which contained four 120mm tank sabot rounds, Russian tank rounds, a sack of 12.7mm rounds for a heavy machine gun, 15 empty directional charges, five explosive-packed directional charges rigged with detonation cord, a 105mm rocket round and homemade explosives.
“We took 25 improvised explosive devices off the street today,” said Maj. Web Wright, spokesman for the 2nd BCT, of the find. “We are definitely making an impact on the Al-Qaida and former regime members’ freedom of maneuver, as well as their weapons stockpiles.”
The caches were seized and destroyed.

Here's why:

The raid, which took place Wednesday, angered the mosque's imam, who took the unusual step of canceling Friday prayer services at the historic Baratha mosque, where, Shiites believe, Muhammad's son-in-law, Ali, converted a Christian missionary to Islam in the seventh century.