Al-Qaeda militants arrested in Iraq

Iraq's defense ministry said its military arrested 14 suspected al-Qaida militants in Baghdad and another 18 suspects in Basra. "A force from the Iraqi army's 17th Division carried out a raid and search operation in Arab Jubour, Sayyid Abdullah and Latifiya, south of Baghdad, and arrested 14 al-Qaida members," the ministry said in a statement Tuesday. In the statement the defense ministry said, "During the operation, the unit found weapons and ammunitions cache containing 25 improvised explosive devices and 680 mortar shells." The al-Shorfa newspaper Wednesday quoted Maj. Gen. Faisal al-Ibadi, Basra police chief, as saying, "Eight of the detainees were involved in various terrorist crimes and are affiliated with al-Qaida, while the other 10 were arrested in connection with criminal charges related to murders, thefts and drug dealing."