Police pursued the vehicle and later arrested the driver and two passengers. Police heard thumping from inside the trunk of the vehicle and found a 24-year-old college student inside, the Multi-National Division in Baghdad said.

The student, who was severely beaten, said insurgents stopped him at a checkpoint inquiring if he was Sunni or Shiite, kidnapping him shortly thereafter.

The action by the Iraqi Police is part of Operation Phantom Phoenix launched in January to pursue al-Qaida and other militants operating in the area using joint U.S. and Iraqi forces.

Lt. Col. David Oclander, the executive officer of the U.S. unit charged with security operations in Sadr City and Adhamiyah, said the operation exemplifies the work of the Iraqi Police forces.

"This shows every law abiding citizen of Iraq -- no matter what faith they are -- can count on the protection of the Iraqi National Police and the other Iraqi Security Forces. And at the same time, it lets every criminal know that no one is above the law," he said.