Troops conduct raids on al-Qaida in Iraq

BAGHDAD, July 17 (UPI) -- U.S. and Iraqi forces captured nine suspected militants in a series of raids Thursday, the U.S. military reported.

The operation was aimed at networks involved in financing terrorist activity and moving foreign fighters into the country. Among those detained were a man in Hit, 90 miles west of Baghdad, suspected of working with al-Qaida to get foreign fighters across the border and a man in Mosul suspected of involvement in financing.

In Tikrit, the Sunni stronghold that was Saddam Hussein's hometown, troops detained three men suspected of involvement in a plot to use poison in terrorist attacks.

In the past three days, 14 people have been arrested and caches of weapons seized, officials said. One man arrested Wednesday in Fallujah is alleged to be an al-Qaida commander in charge of three area commanders.