The Roundup for April 18, 2008

KILLED OR CAPTURED - A chart showing senior al-Qaida leaders recently killed or captured and several pages of a letter found by coalition forces on the body of a terrorist were released in Baghdad, Iraq, during a media briefing by U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Kevin Bergner, a Multinational Force Iraq spokesman.

Iraq: Suspects in Maupin's Death Get Death Sentence Airstrike kills 4 in Basra, 2 die in Sadr City clashes Turkey: Army strikes militants in northern Iraq Intercepted al-Qaida Letter Reveals Tactics, Strategy (53 AQI leaders killed or captured this month) Iraqi Army finds weapons cache in vehicle (Haw al-Askery) Iraqi Army discovers IED materials during clearing operations (Mahmudiyah) Iraqi Army takes lead in Marne Piledriver Sons of Iraq lead MND-C Soldiers to weapons cache (Tameem) One terrorist killed, five suspects detained in Mosul One suspected terrorist detained in joint operation; local SOI groups reject AQI 13 al-Qaeda suspects detained Coalition UAV engages RPG team, kills four criminals (Basra) Iraqi Security Forces detain 2 wanted criminal leaders, 10 others in Basrah MND-B Soldiers seize rockets, weapons cache (Baghdad) Rocket cache found by MND-C Soldiers, Iraqi Security Forces (Baghdad) Two key suspects detained in Seddah Coalition forces detain 18 suspected al-Qaeda in Iraq terrorists Iraqi DBE discover anti-tank mines after attack from dismounted insurgents Coalition detains alleged AQI leader, three other suspects in Mosul MND-B Soldiers seize munitions in Rashid SOI repel checkpoint attack, kill 2 AQI near Balad One terrorist killed, 14 detained in operations targeting AQI leaders MND-B Soldiers defend themselves, kill 6 criminals (Eastern Baghdad) Operation Charge of Knights continues progress in Basrah

Afghanistan / Pakistan: Afghan villagers save school, clinic from insurgents (Gotta read this!) Infamous Taliban Leader (Mullah Ismail) Killed In Pakistan (UK) Army has killed 7,000 Taliban Key Taliban commander offers surrender Key Taliban commander arrested by Afghan police Suspected weapons facilitators detained in Helmand province Insurgents on motorcycles killed in Zabul Afghan, Coalition forces destroy IED-making compound in Oruzgan ANA, CF continue to neutralize Taliban insurgents Joint forces detain Haqqani network commander Detained IED facilitators identified (Sheik Soup, LOL!) Pakistan nabs 3 militants linked to killings of 7 charity workers Two Taliban militants arrested in Punjab Canadian Tanks Stomp Taliban The West: Quebec's Muslim Moderates Fight Back New Charges Filed Against Former USF Students (UK) Six guilty of terrorism support India / Pakistan: Militant hideout busted in J-K Lashkar Top Gun Killed in Kashmir Gunfight

Israel / Levant: Head of Islamic Jihad in Qabatya Killed by IDF Forces Three Israeli soldiers, four militants killed in Gaza raids Four Hamas militants killed in eastern Gaza (Senior member captured) U.N. Security Council Calls on Hezbollah to Disarm Israel imposes full closure of Palestinian territories Israeli troop kills Quds brigades activists in Jenin Africa: Mauritania Uncovers ‘Terror Cell’ Mauritania police arrest third suspect in French tourist killings Algerian Troops Stop AQM Summit Meeting Algeria forces kill 10 rebel bomb plotters Southeast Asia: Indonesia: Police arrest two alleged Jemaah Islamiyah members (Major catch) The Caucasus / Former Soviet Republics: Six suspected Islamic extremists arrested in Bashkortostan Attackers killed in shootout with police in Chechnya

Today's Roundup

SECURITY DUTY - U.S. Army Spc. Rebecca Buck secures the perimeter of an Iraqi police station in Tarmiya Province, Iraq, March 30, 2008. Buck is a medic with 25th Infantry Division's Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team. U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. William Greer

Iraq: Battles kill 13 in Sadr City, blockade eased Special Forces destroy al-Qaida camp cache Aide to radical Iraqi cleric shot dead Unmanned Drone Kills 6 Iraqi Insurgents MND-C Soldiers aid residents, remove weapons cache (Baghdad) Local cooperation brings in multiple suspects (Jisr Diyala) Coalition Forces capture suspected Special Groups criminal Five wanted individuals, 20 other suspects detained Coalition forces return fire after complex attack in Sadr City Significant caches found North of Habbaniyah Iraqi Border Patrol discovers large mines cache in Diyala Province National Police, MND-C Soldiers, capture key criminal Third cache discovered within seven days UAV destroys mortar position, kills 6 MND-C Soldiers find weapons cache in Janabi Iraqi Army soldiers find weapons caches, detain 2 in separate operations MND-B Soldiers seize weapons cache ISF capture two al-Qaeda in Iraq IED cell members, one insurgent cell leader in separate operations MND-B Air Weapons Teams engage criminals Two AQI terrorists killed, nine detained in central, northern Iraq MND-B Soldiers seize weapons cache MND-B Soldiers kill 13 criminals Iraqi Police, Iraqi Army discover large cache in Husayniyah MND-B Soldiers detain suspected EFP cell leader, seize cache Iraqi Army soldiers uncover weapons caches near Arab Jassim, PB Warrior Keep ISF, SOI discover 11 weapons caches in northern Iraq Six detained in Coalition operations IED weapons making facility destroyed in Diyala UAV kills 2 criminals Iraqi Army soldiers discover hundreds of mortar rounds

Afghanistan / Pakistan: Al-Qaeda leader dead, says US intelligence (Abu Obaidah al-Masri) Rumors of Hekmatyar's Death in Nuristan Fighting Coalition airstrike targeted Hekmatyar loyalists (Earlier story) US commander: 'Significant' reduction in Taliban, al-Qaida operations Pak army swings into action as Taliban re-emerges in Swat 7 Taliban, 1 Afghan Police Killed Afghan clashes claim 24 Taliban Suspected IED facilitators, militant sub-commander detained Weapons cache discovered, destroyed in Helmand The West: UK terror plot: Sabeel Ahmed gets 18-month term Britain monitoring 30 terror plots: Home Secretary Tunisian arrested for terror links in Italy Southeast Asia: (Scared to lead!) Militant Declines Abu Sayyaf Leadership Philippine police raid on JI lair yields bomb-making materials Philippines deports suspected al-Qaeda members (sorry, no GTMO for you) 15 militants surrender in Tripura N. Delhi hands over list of 117 camps of Indian insurgents on Bangladesh 24 suspects detained in Narathiwat sweep (Thailand)

Israel / Levant: Israeli Airstrike Kills 2 in Gaza Tank-armed Israeli troops carry out incursion in central Gaza Two Palestinians on night watch mission in Gaza killed in air strike Syria: President's brother-in-law 'accused of US-backed coup' India / Pakistan: Five Hizbul Mujahideen rebels killed in Kashmir Hizbul Mujahideen commander killed in Doda District Hizbul Militant Arrested Four Militants Killed in Factional Clash (Red on Red) Two Al-Badar Militants Arrested in Kashmir Jihad Loses its Pull in Kashmir Africa: French commandos swoop after pirates free hostages Al-Qaida-linked mastermind of French killings arrested (Mauritania) Two militants arrested by Algerian security AQ in Algeria: Old, Sick, Quitting The Caucasus: Almost 200 militants killed in North Caucasus in 2007 Law enforcers destroy 14 terrorist bases in Chechnya in March

Today's Roundup

ROOFTOP SECURITY - U.S. Army Pfc. Paul Mandrell watches for possible enemy activity from the roof of Joint Security Station Oubaidy near Sadr City, Iraq, after a series of attacks. He is assigned to the 10th Mountain Division's 2nd Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade. U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Jason T. Bailey

Iraq: Map Iraq's Sadr to disband Mehdi Army if clerics order Shiite militants killed, abducted students freed in Iraq US and Iraqi forces take the battle to Moqtada al-Sadr's doorstep (22 get virgins) Suspected Qaeda hideout found on Iraq island ISF recover weapons cache, kill 10 in separate operations in Basra Aircraft drops bomb on criminal mortar site (Baghdad) AWT destroys rocket-launch rails (Baghdad) Coalition forces detain four suspected Special Groups criminals Coalition forces kill three terrorists, including one targeting SOI groups Coalition Forces kill criminal, destroy vehicle used in rocket attack (Baghdad) ISF capture criminal element leader, suspected AQI terrorist in separate operations ISF detain one suspected criminal element leader, five others in separate operations Iraqi Army finds second cache in Shakariyah Criminal killed in foiled assassination attempt ISF find largest EFP cache to date in MND-C MND-B aerial weapons team kills 9 criminals One terrorist killed, 22 detained in Coalition operations One terrorist killed, three detained in Coalition operations Iraqi Security Forces rescue 42 kidnapped students (Mosul) US air strike kills nine in Sadr City

Afghanistan / Pakistan / Central Asia: Map Top Taliban militant arrested, 15 killed in Afghan raids "Heavy casualties" among insurgents (Hunting Hekmatyar in Nuristan) ANSF, Coalition inflict significant insurgent losses (more on Nuristan fight) ‘Americans to attack Fata if Musharraf steps down’ 3 suspected Afghan militants arrested in Mingora Pakistan Militant killed in Mand shootout (Pakistan) Ten Taliban 'cornered and killed' (Uruzgan) Eight ‘suicide bombers’ arrested Suspected militants detained during Khowst Province operation Two Hizb ut-Tahrir members sentenced to 8 years in prison in Tajikistan The West: Pentagon Hopes that Network Science Can Aid War on Terror Counter- terrorism police seize large cache of illegal weapons in Austria India / Pakistan: Map Laser light on terror war (neat stuff) T op Hizbul militant shot dead in Jammu and Kashmir Indian police seize explosives Five suspected SIMI activists held (Over 25 busted now) Released militants seek rehabilitation

Israel / Levant: Map Hunt on for suspected terror duo (Egypt-Tourists targeted) Israeli missile kills Palestinian militant in Gaza: medics 45 al-Qaeda members detained in Istanbul over terror plot Saudi Peninsula Map Yemen arrests most wanted al-Qaeda terrorist Africa: Map Mauritanian police raid house after clashes with extremists Mauritania security forces find bomb-making facility after shootout Algeria: A new counterterrorism unit ready to fight Al-Qaeda France expels two Algerians 22 jailed for planning attacks (Morocco) France prepares SWAT team for seized ship Libya, France to join US naval exercises (wow, times change) Morocco's Qaeda branch chief remanded in custody Somalia: Deadly Explosions Rock Cities As Ethiopian Troops Advance Southeast Asia: Map RKK rebel camp destroyed by Pattani authorities (Thailand) Abu Sayyaf Bomb Expert Killed

Today's Roundup

ZODIAC PATROL - U.S. Marines carry Zodiac boats into the Euphrates River below the Haditha Dam in Iraq to conduct security patrols with Provisional Security Forces. The Marines are assigned to Company W, 3rd Battalion, 23rd Marine Regiment. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Tyler Hil

Iraq: Iraqi PM wins support from Kurds & Sunnis Battling Qaeda, one town at a time 700 killed in Sadrist battles Our Guys Kicking Ass on YouTube Al-Qaeda weapons cache doscovered in Samarra IP detains 2 launching Iranian-made rockets Coalition forces conduct airstrike in Basra, one criminal killed Two terrorists killed West of Samarra Iraqi Security Forces discover weapons caches, detain key suspect in separate operations MND-C Soldiers discover weapons cache Iraqi Army Soldiers find caches near Shakeriyah Bravery under fire: Remembering Sgt. 1st Class Paul Smith 5 years after earning the Medal of Honor Two terrorists killed, 16 suspects detained as Coalition forces target al-Qaeda in Iraq Three terrorists killed, including would-be suicide bomber Coalition forces conduct airstrike in al-Halaf, six criminals killed ISF kill 7 criminal members, detain 16 in 3 separate operations in Basra

Afghanistan / Pakistan: Wazirs block foreign militants' return to Wana Arrest warrant for Baitullah Mehsud, 3 others issued Pakistan arrests four Turkish al Qaeda suspects Georgia plans to send 200 troops to Afghanistan U.S. will send more troops to Afghanistan regardless of Iraq situation: Gates Close aide of Maulana Fazlullah along with six other militants netted Two militant commanders surrender in Swat Taliban commander slain The West: Belgian police raid suspected PKK offices German police investigated for training Libyans UK Jet plot suspects recorded martyr videos The Press Botches Basra (MSM gets called out) British target prisons as terror incubators NJ Lawyer goes after the funding for international terrorism Saudi Peninsula Saudi Mufti Calls for Moderation in Islam

Israel / Levant: Israeli Forces arrest Palestinian militants Army shells Gaza; one resident killed, his nephew injured Turkish court charges 24 suspected al-Qaeda militants Egypt detains 30 from Brotherhood as vote nears Egypt arrests 10 more Muslim Brothers ahead of elections India / Pakistan: Sabauddin admits he masterminded attack Eight suspected bombers held 8 die in shootout between militants, security forces NWFP govt offers reward package for arrest of militants Two Hizbul Mujahideen militants surrendered in J-K Africa: The indoctrination process of suicide-bombers by AQIM Anti-terrorism experts meet in Algiers to discuss co-operation

Today's Roundup

U.S. Army Pfc. Angel Marrero, assigned to 2nd Platoon, Bravo Battery, 5th Battalion, 25th Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, conducts a patrol in Karadah, Iraq. DoD photo by Staff Sgt. Jason T. Bailey, U.S. Air Force. (Released)

Iraq: US forces capture leader of Iranian-backed armed rebel network in Iraq Tension Between Muqtada Al-Sadr, Iranians (popcorn time) Iraqi military continues operations in Basrah Iraq's Benchmarks (Harry Reid is deeply saddened) U.S. troops make progress in Iraq's Diyala province Al-Qaida's strategic failure in Iraq (Good read) ISF, advised by U.S. Special Forces, detain 1 suspected insurgent, discover cache in separate ops Iraqi citizen tip leads to large cache discovery Sons of Iraq discover, turn in large cache Coalition forces conduct airstrike in Basra, two criminals killed Coalition forces detain suspected Special Groups criminal Four terrorists killed, six suspects detained in Coalition operations Informant leads Soldiers to multiple caches (Kutimiyah) VBIED attack near Mosul kills 5, wounds 19 1-15 Inf. Regt. operation snatches key suspect (Salman Pak) MND-B soldiers kill bomb emplacer MND-B Soldiers seize munitions cache (Baghdad) Citizen’s tip leads Iraqi Army to EFP cache (Mahmudiyah) AQI financial leader captured in Salman Pak Coalition forces detain 12 suspected terrorists 15 caches, IED factory discovered in northern Iraq Iraqi Army Soldiers, U.S. Special Forces conduct combined operation in Makhiat Iraqi Special Operations Forces kill 14 criminals in Basra Iraqi Security Forces, detain two suspects in separate operations (Balad) SOI prevent suicide attack INP arrest 3, uncover weapons cache Hillah Special Weapons and Tactics unit detain 20 suspected smugglers in Basra Sons of Iraq turn over suicide belt to MND-C Soldiers (North Babil) Iraqi Army Brigade unilateral operation nets al-Qaeda in Iraq, sizeable cache Five wanted individuals, six others detained in Coalition operations

Afghanistan / Pakistan / Central Asia: Uzbek president offers NATO a transit corridor to Afghanistan Airstrike kills 3 in Afghanistan; Grunts kill several more France Sends Troops to Afghanistan, Eases NATO Strain (why elections matter) Taliban commander Mullah Naqibullah arrested for the third time Afghan forces arrest over a dozen suspected insurgents Weapons facilitation operations disrupted in Helmand Province The West: US charges embassy bomb suspect (Ghailani) Case can proceed against suspect in Orlando International Airport bomb parts incident "Up to 18" could have joined UK suicide bomb plot Top court won't hear challenge to terrorism law (Canada) 'The Trainer' begins terror trial testimony Jihad Comes to Wall Street Leaders' Statements Illustrate CAIR's Extremism, Anti-Semitism The Caucasus: Police detain Chechen 'executioner' of Russian soldiers Gang leader involved in terrorist acts in Chechnya detained Africa: Malian government signs cease-fire with rebels day after military attack (see story below) Mali helicopters strike Tuareg rebels, several dead Morocco's Qaeda branch chief remanded in custody An assassination plot against Algerian PM Belkhadem foiled

Israel / Levant: IDF intercepts truck carrying dangerous chemical substances in West Bank Hamas leader Mashaal: We accept state on '67 borders 45 Al-Qaida suspects arrested in Turkey Egypt: Government threatens to arrest more militants Turkish troops kill 7 PKK militants in Sirnak IDF kills two militants in Gaza raid IDF kills three Islamic Jihad militants in central Gaza India / Pakistan: India 'decapitates' jihadi group (SIMI) Five more SIMI activists arrested in Madhya Pradesh Police bust SIMI terror camp in Madhya Pradesh Top Hizbul leader arrested in J&K Top commanders of Hizbul Mujahideen killed in Indian-administered Kashmir Hizb ‘master-blaster’ held Hizbul Mujahideen spokesman arrested Saudi Peninsula Yemen Mobilizes Military to Quell Riots Southeast Asia: Abu Sayyaf cleric arrested in Sulu (Philippines)