Troops arrest Iraqi 'bomb-makers'

US soldiers detained 14 Iraqis suspected of making deadly car bombs and leading militant cells in northern Iraq, the military said today.

Soldiers from the 1st Infantry Division detained 12 people during raids on five houses at about 6.30pm (3.30pm Irish time) yesterday, south of Beiji, 155 miles north of Baghdad.

“The raid was conducted to kill or capture members of a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device cell,” the military said in a statement.

Roadside bombs, particularly explosives-rigged vehicles, have been regularly used to deadly effect by rebels against US-led coalition forces in Iraq.

Later, soldiers raided a home in the town of Ouja, just south of Tikrit, Saddam Hussein’s home town, about 100 miles north of Baghdad, and detained a suspected militant cell leader.

Shortly afterwards, another raid was conducted in Tikrit and a second suspected militant cell leader was held.

The 14 Iraqis were taken to US military centres for questioning. No American troops were injured during the operations.