US troops capture helicopter attack suspects

US troops have arrested six Iraqis suspected in attacks against US helicopters, including at least two allegedly involved in last week’s downing of a Black Hawk that killed all six people on board, officials said today.

US troops captured the six during a series of night-time raids between Tuesday and today in Saddam Hussein’s hometown Tikrit.

The military said the first two are suspected of involvement in the November 7 downing of the Black Hawk helicopter in Tikrit. Lieutenant Colonel Steven Russel, a battalion commander with the 4th Infantry Division, said the other four were involved in attacks against US helicopters.

“We were targeting individuals believed to be involved in the shooting down of US aircraft, helicopters,” Lt Col Russel told Associated Press Television News.

One of those arrested was a police officer appointed by coalition forces, he said.

The Black Hawk went down near the eastern bank of the Tigris River. The US military has not disclosed an official cause, but the commander of US forces in Iraq, Lieutenant General Ricardo Sanchez, has said he believes the helicopter was shot down.

“The people we’ve detained have some connection to the incident or we would not have gone after them,” Lt Col Russell said. “We still have some important leads we’re trying to follow.”

Iraqi police have also detained a number of suspects in the Black Hawk incident independently of the American efforts, US officials said.

Hamid Muzhir, the police chief of Salahuddin province which includes Tikrit, said he believed the Black Hawk was shot down by ex-members of Saddam’s security forces because of the considerable training needed to launch such an attack.