The soldiers discovered more than 2,500 components that could be used to make penetrator-type bombs, the officials told American Forces Press Service. The materiel was found in an area southeast of the village of Samrah.

Iraqi tipsters gave the soldiers a notebook with sketches of the munitions and their general location, the press service said. The soldiers used metal detectors to discover three separate spots with the materials, which included C-4 explosives and metal plates used to make bombs.

"The Iraqi citizens made a significant decision to support their government and security forces when they provided the information that led to the discovery of this cache," said Army Lt. Col. John Casper, Multinational Corps Iraq's chief of operations. "In doing so, they removed devastating weapons from the hands of terrorists and placed their trust and confidence in a future for Iraq."

Elsewhere in Iraq, coalition forces Saturday found an improvised explosive device in a car in Kirkuk and disarmed it, and three suspected insurgents were killed and a house was destroyed in Mosul when a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device detonated prematurely.