Second Lt. Darrell Jones, Allen, Texas, native and 2nd platoon leader for the 59th Military Police Company, sorts through items found on one of seven insurgents caught by his patrol in Al-Ma’amil, Iraq Sept. 20. A search of the seven men and two vehicles netted an AK-47 assault rifle with several loaded magazines, three handguns, several fake identification cards, $1,200 U.S. dollars, and more than 18 million Iraqi Dinar. The 59th MP Co. is part of the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division.
A military policeman displays $1,200 U.S. dollars, various identification cards, and a handgun confiscated during a patrol in Al-Ma’amil, Sept. 20. The military policeman is assigned to the 59th MP Co., part of the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division. The 59th MP Co. collared seven Shiite insurgent money handlers when they attempted to avoid Coalition Forces by driving through an area known as the brick factory. (Photo by 59th Military Police Company)Seven insurgent money handlers were captured Sept. 20 in Al-Ma’amil by military police patrolling the area.
The 2nd platoon of the 59th Military Police Company, part of the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, was patrolling the area known as the brick factory, a large conglomeration of shops specializing in making bricks, based on tips from workers in the area.
The 59th MP Co., tasked as the Police Transition Team for Mada’in Qada, has been working with the 3rd HBCT since the company’s arrival to Iraq in July.
Second Lt. Darrell Jones, from Allen, Texas, and 2nd platoon leader for the company, said the company regularly patrols the area because their PTT duties often take them to the Iraqi police station north of the brick factory.
“We were patrolling through that area to get to the IP station,” Jones said. “We were linking up with the rest of the platoon to pick up our Iraqi police adviser.”
The workers in the brick factory informed Coalition Forces weeks before about insurgents regularly “shaking them down, demanding payment or they would shut down their shops,” Jones said.
The informants gave Jones and his men approximate times, days and patterns the insurgents used during their collection rounds.
Jones said though the patrol was planned, it was really chance they were in the right place at the right time.
As a section of the platoon started their patrol south through the brick factory, Jones and the rest of his men traveled north toward them on an adjacent road. Jones said as they were approaching the outskirts of the area, the insurgents saw their patrol of vehicles on the road and sought to avoid them by driving their two vehicles through the brick factory.
“As we cut up on Route Sooners, they drove right on in to the shops,” Jones said. “We cut in behind them.”
They ran right in to Jones’ men coming south. Due to the narrow lanes in the brick factory the cars had no way to turn around.
“They were pinched with nowhere to go,” Jones said. “They gave up without a fight.”
As soon as they had the insurgents cornered, Jones called in the report to the squadron’s headquarters and his men cleared the cars and detained the men.
First Lt. Luke Self, a Mobile, Ala., native and 1st platoon leader for Troop B, 3-1 Cav. Regt., and his platoon were dispatched from Narwhan. Narwhan is several kilometers west of Al-Ma’amil.
“We were pulling security for the Narwhan IPs as they worked to improve one of their checkpoints,” Self said. “We got the call that they had identified two vehicles and needed assistance processing and transporting the men.”
A search of the seven men and two vehicles netted an AK-47 assault rifle with several loaded magazines, three handguns, $1,200 in U.S. currency, and more than 18 million Iraqi Dinar. Several fake identification cards were also found.
Both Jones and Self agree the capture of these insurgents will have an affect on Shiite extremist cell operations in the area.
“It could have a positive and immediate effect,” Self said. “The populace can see the affect Coalition Forces are having in the neighborhood.”
Jones offered a similar estimation.
“Now the (insurgents) have to find new money handlers; someone they can trust with their money,” Jones said. “It shows that we’re not messing around.”
The 3rd HBCT, 3rd Infantry Division, is from Fort Benning, Ga., and has been deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom since March 2007.
The 2nd platoon of the 59th Military Police Company, part of the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, was patrolling the area known as the brick factory, a large conglomeration of shops specializing in making bricks, based on tips from workers in the area.
The 59th MP Co., tasked as the Police Transition Team for Mada’in Qada, has been working with the 3rd HBCT since the company’s arrival to Iraq in July.
Second Lt. Darrell Jones, from Allen, Texas, and 2nd platoon leader for the company, said the company regularly patrols the area because their PTT duties often take them to the Iraqi police station north of the brick factory.
“We were patrolling through that area to get to the IP station,” Jones said. “We were linking up with the rest of the platoon to pick up our Iraqi police adviser.”
The workers in the brick factory informed Coalition Forces weeks before about insurgents regularly “shaking them down, demanding payment or they would shut down their shops,” Jones said.
The informants gave Jones and his men approximate times, days and patterns the insurgents used during their collection rounds.
Jones said though the patrol was planned, it was really chance they were in the right place at the right time.
As a section of the platoon started their patrol south through the brick factory, Jones and the rest of his men traveled north toward them on an adjacent road. Jones said as they were approaching the outskirts of the area, the insurgents saw their patrol of vehicles on the road and sought to avoid them by driving their two vehicles through the brick factory.
“As we cut up on Route Sooners, they drove right on in to the shops,” Jones said. “We cut in behind them.”
They ran right in to Jones’ men coming south. Due to the narrow lanes in the brick factory the cars had no way to turn around.
“They were pinched with nowhere to go,” Jones said. “They gave up without a fight.”
As soon as they had the insurgents cornered, Jones called in the report to the squadron’s headquarters and his men cleared the cars and detained the men.
First Lt. Luke Self, a Mobile, Ala., native and 1st platoon leader for Troop B, 3-1 Cav. Regt., and his platoon were dispatched from Narwhan. Narwhan is several kilometers west of Al-Ma’amil.
“We were pulling security for the Narwhan IPs as they worked to improve one of their checkpoints,” Self said. “We got the call that they had identified two vehicles and needed assistance processing and transporting the men.”
A search of the seven men and two vehicles netted an AK-47 assault rifle with several loaded magazines, three handguns, $1,200 in U.S. currency, and more than 18 million Iraqi Dinar. Several fake identification cards were also found.
Both Jones and Self agree the capture of these insurgents will have an affect on Shiite extremist cell operations in the area.
“It could have a positive and immediate effect,” Self said. “The populace can see the affect Coalition Forces are having in the neighborhood.”
Jones offered a similar estimation.
“Now the (insurgents) have to find new money handlers; someone they can trust with their money,” Jones said. “It shows that we’re not messing around.”
The 3rd HBCT, 3rd Infantry Division, is from Fort Benning, Ga., and has been deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom since March 2007.
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