U.S. Soldiers Storm Northern Iraqi Town Hunting for Gangster in Bid to Boost Security
By Andrew England Associated Press Writer
Published: Aug 26, 2003
KHALIS, Iraq (AP) - Hundreds of U.S. soldiers raided a northern town on Tuesday in a bid to smash a crime ring wanted for murder, gunrunning and a terrorist attack on a police station that killed an American soldier earlier this month.
Backed by tanks, helicopters and Bradley fighting vehicles, the soldiers stormed Khalis, 42 miles north of Baghdad, hunting for the gang's notorious leader, Lateef Hamed al Kubaishat - known as Lateef by U.S. forces, said Col. David Hogg, commander of the 4th Infantry Division's 2nd Brigade.
Soldiers caught 24 members of the "terrorist organization" but Lateef appeared to have eluded capture, Hogg said.
"Their primary focus is probably criminal activity, but they have attacked coalition forces through direct and indirect means," Hogg told The Associated Press. "As long as he (Lateef) is in place we will not be able to establish the conditions for the Iraqi police to establish law and order in the area." (snip/...)
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