'Six militiamen' seized in raid on garage

British soldiers delivering humanitarian rations have seized six suspected militiamen with money and guns believed to have been used to force Iraqis to fight, they revealed today.

The troops – who were carrying out “hearts and minds” work near the former militia stronghold of Al Zubayr yesterday – found military issue machine guns, caches of ammunition, an Iraqi army uniform and cash and cheques worth more than 700,000 dinar.