Sunni insurgents obtain powerful missile

BAGHDAD, May 1 (UPI) -- Iraq's Sunni insurgents apparently have gotten possession of a deadly SA-16 surface-to-air missile, U.S. military officials said.

The SA-16 is a modified version of the older SA-7 and represents a greater threat to U.S. and coalition aircraft, the Middle East News Line reported Saturday.

U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Mark Kimmitt, deputy director of military operation, said a U.S. military raid netted a range of Soviet-origin anti-aircraft missiles. He said they included the SA-16 and SA-14 missiles.

"The operation resulted in the capture of one enemy fighter, an SA-16 missile, an SA-14 missile, 31 rocket-propelled-grenade rounds and a large quantity of small arms and ammunition," Kimmitt said.