U.S. nabs suspects in al-Qaida raids

BAGHDAD, Nov. 5 (UPI) -- U.S.-led forces in Iraq announced the capture of two suspected al-Qaida in Iraq militants along with several other insurgents in raids Wednesday.

Multi-National Force-Iraq said coalition forces had arrested a weapons manufacturer affiliated with the al-Qaida in Iraq network in Baghdad. Other raids south of the Iraqi capital resulted in the capture of two suspects thought to be linked to several attacks against U.S. forces operating in the area.

Operations in Mosul yielded the discovery of several weapons caches thought to be for the manufacturing of improvised explosive devices. The U.S. military said it arrested three men in connection with the find.

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki dispatched thousands of police to Mosul last month in an effort to curb violence targeting the minority Christian community there and recently sent Iraqi national forces to the area in what is seen as preparations for a third major assault.

The operations follow a U.S. raid into Syrian territory in pursuit of an alleged al-Qaida leader linked to the transport of foreign fighters across the border into Iraq.