U.S. Military in Iraq Announces Capture of
Suspected Leaders of Car Bomb Network

(VOA) The U.S. military says American forces have captured two suspected leaders of a car bomb network believed responsible for the deaths of hundreds of Iraqis. A coalition statement says the men were detained during ongoing security sweeps in Adhamiyah, a Sunni stronghold in Baghdad.

The military says one of the men, Haytham Kazim Abdallah Al-Shimari, is suspected of helping plan and execute car bombings that have killed many Iraqis in Sadr City, a Shi’ite neighborhood in Baghdad.

A statement says the other man, Haydar Rashid Nasir Al-Shammari Al-Jafar, is suspected of being the second-in-command of the car bomb network.

The U.S. military says attacks by the network have killed about 900 Iraqis and wounded nearly 2,000 others.

The coalition says two other men believed linked to the cell were also taken into custody.

Separately, the U.S. military says insurgents used mortar fire to kill five Iraqis and wound 11 in Iskandariyah, south of Baghdad.