US soldiers have seized four relatives of the man America believes is masterminding attacks against its troops, in early morning raids today.

US troops arrested 92 people and seized weapons and ammunition in two dozen raids, including the largest-ever joint operation with Iraqi police, the US military said today.

Iraqi security forces, backed by US military police, carried out their largest joint raid today in a bid to break the resistance movement in Saddam Hussein’s turbulent home town.

AMERICAN troops lost the hearts and minds of some Iraqis yesterday in aggressive pre-dawn house raids in the hometown of Saddam Hussein, blowing open gates, kicking down doors and shoving faces in the dirt.