Tip leads to hostage release, weapons cache

Tip leads to hostage release, weapons cache
Wednesday, 17 January 2007

Multi-National Corps – Iraq
Public Affairs Office, Camp Victory
APO AE 09342

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
RELEASE No. 20070117-10
Jan. 17, 2007

Tip leads to hostage release, weapons cache
By Capt. David Levasseur 2nd BCT, 1st Inf. Div. PAO

BAGHDAD – An early morning tip phoned in to the Iraqi police led not only to the release of a kidnapping victim, but also to a sizeable weapons cache in western Baghdad Jan. 14.

The tip was called in by a concerned citizen stating they knew of a person who had been kidnapped and the kidnappers were driving a Hyandai Starek minivan. Iraqi police immediately put out a call to all units to look for the vehicle that had license plates matching those given over the phone.

About an hour later, the 1st Battalion, 7th Brigade, 2nd Iraqi National Police identified the vehicle and apprehended the driver. The driver refused to cooperate and would not reveal the location of the kidnapping victim.

A second tip, shortly after Iraqi police found the vehicle, provided the probable location of the home where the victim was being held.

Shortly before 11 a.m., ements of the 1st National Police Battalion raided a home in the western Baghdad neighborhood of Bayaa. There they found the kidnap victim and a large weapons cache.

The victim was interviewed before being released to his family.

“This raid was planned and executed entirely by the Iraqi national police,” said Maj. Blaine Wales, the team chief for the 1st Battalion, 7th Brigade, 2nd Iraqi National Police Transition Team.

The weapons cache consisted of 31 mortar and artillery rounds, 12 rolls of detonation cord, one can of ball bearings, three blocks of C4 explosive, 100 blasting caps and fuses, two completed improvised explosive devices, multiple batteries of all types, four handheld radios, nine cellular phones and seven completed electronic circuit boards similar to those found in roadside bombs.

An explosive ordnance disposal team was brought to the site to examine the materials and destroy some of the munitions.

The van used in the kidnapping and another vehicle located at the cache site were confiscated by the Iraqi national police.

Way to go Big Red One!

My alma mater as it were.

Well done.