Seven Extremists Captured in Night Raid

By Spc. Ben Hutto
3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division

FORWARD OPERATING BASE HAMMER, Iraq – Scouts from the 3rd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment’s Time Sensitive Target platoon, arrested seven insurgents during a night raid near Jisr Diyala, Nov. 8.

The team cleared four buildings looking for the insurgents. At the last building, the Soldiers burst into a room while the suspected insurgents were conducting a meeting.

Leaders from the 3-1st Cav. Regt. considered one of the detainees a high-value individual due to his leadership position in a local extremist cell.

In addition to the arrests, the scouts seized a pistol, improvised explosive device-making materials and several cell phones. Cell phones are commonly used as detonation devices for IEDs.

2nd Lt. John Lorme, from Aberdeen, Md., the platoon leader of the TST, explained that the insurgents are involved with sniper training and black market gasoline sales. Lorme further elaborated that the cell is suspected of using illegal gasoline sales to finance extremist activity.

Lorme said the detentions are helping to decrease violence in Jisr Diyala and contribute to an increasing sense of stability in the area.

“We got into a six hour fire fight here in July, but it’s nothing anything close to that now,” Lorme said. “The store and shop owners are always glad to see us now.”

Despite the arrests and the improvement of the area’s security, Lorme acknowledges that there are areas that still need attention in Jisr Diyala.

“Everywhere we go, people want water and a job,” Lorme said. “They like Iraqi policemen. They like the national police, but feel there are not enough of them here.”

Despite the small size of his platoon, Lorme is happy with the work they have done in Jisr Diyala thus far.

“We’ve totally cleared out this AO (area of operation),” he said. “We’ve done so much with the small amount of people we have in this platoon. I am really proud of my Soldiers.”

The 3-1st Cav. Regt. is assigned to the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, from Fort Benning, Ga., and has been deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom V since March.