Breaking in operations in Iraq

The American and Iraqi joint forces on Friday launched a large scale detention and breaking in campaign in the areas of al-Mahmoudeyah, al-Yousefeyah and Letefeyah to the south of Baghdad in search of gunmen.

This was carried out in the course of the security operation known as "al-Barq" ( lightening ). One American military spokesman said that 84 persons were detained in these areas.

Iraq's minister of the interior Bayan Jaber expected the plan to succeed. It had started last Sunday by deployment of 40,000 soldiers and policemen backed by the American forces. Jaber added the operation will succeed during the few coming months to reduce the number of gunmen after the rehabilitation of more Iraqi forces and the implementation of new security plans.

Among the main detainees, according to the Iraqi minister, is the one who is suspected that he is the leader of the national Islamic resistance, the revolution of contingent 1920, but without naming him.

On the other hand, hundreds of Iraqis Arab Sunni demonstrated in the courtyard of Abi Huneifah mosque in Baghdad following Friday's prayers in protest of the American presence and the American forces detention of the chairman of the Islamic party Mohsin Andul Hamid by the beginning of this week.

The demonstrators carried banners deploring what they called, the American terrorism. They demanded the evacuation of the American forces from Iraq.

The demonstrators and officials in the Islamic party took part in the demonstration deplored the security "al-Barq" operation carried out in Baghdad and its suburbs, accusing the American and Iraqi forces of targeting the Sunni Arabs in the detention campaign coupled with this operation.