Iraqi, MND-B troops discover abandoned house used for violence

BlackAnthem Military News
Iraqi, MND-B troops discover abandoned house used for violence
1st Lt Charles Bloomfield, 2nd Battalion, 32nd Field Artillery Regiment
May 19, 2007

Blackanthem Military News, BAGHDAD, Iraq – Iraqi Security Forces and Soldiers from the Multi-National Division – Baghdad discovered a “torture house” in the Yarmouk neighborhood of the Iraqi capital May 16. The house was one of two sites found that day containing evidence of criminal activity in the western Baghdad Mansour District.

U.S. Soldiers from Battery B, 2nd Battalion, 32nd Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, along with Iraqi troops from the 2nd Battalion, 5th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, investigated a site where U.S. forces had previously discovered a weapons cache containing nitric acid, as well as other bomb making materials.

The troops revisited the site in hopes of another discovery and found some human skeletal remains in the yard outside of the house. Inside the house, the Soldiers found other disturbing signs as they continued their search.

An upstairs room had the tools and layout of an interrogation room. Two metal mattress springs were laid against the wall near bare electrical wires, a table with odd markings from fire and chemical burns and triangle racks were hung from the ceiling. This evidence, and knowledge of the area’s history of extrajudicial killings, led the patrol leader, 1st Lt. Patrick Henson, of Orlando, Florida, and his Soldiers to conclude that the house had been used for illegal detentions, and possibly for the abuse or interrogation of kidnapped victims.

Expanding his investigation, Henson questioned the neighbors and learned that Coalition Forces had raided the house earlier this year, killing two men, but unusual activity had continued until the surge of forces into the Mansour District enabled security forces to clear many of the buildings in the vicinity.

While searching the suspected torture house, the Soldiers received a tip from a local Iraqi leading to another weapons cache nearby. At this second location, the troops discovered a weapons cache concealed in an air duct behind a picture hung on the wall. The cache consisted of 10 AK-47 magazines, more than 300 rounds of ammunition, three AK-47 assault rifles, an improvised grenade, a large roll of detonation cord, a camcorder, seven washing machine timers, three cell phones and numerous 9-volt batteries. Iraqi Army troops recovered one bag of ammonium nitrate and two propane tanks from the yard, as well.

Taking explosives, weapons and munitions out of the hands of extremists relies heavily on the support of each local community, said Capt. David Levasseur, public affairs officer for the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division.“

The Iraqi people are the key to our success,” he said. “Only their resolve and determination to help us by talking to security forces will allow us to deny anti-Iraqi forces places to hide.”

Levasseur added that the assistance provided to Coalition Forces in this predominately Sunni neighborhood demonstrates that its residents recognize their role and are committed to helping restore peace to their community.

U.S. Army photo by 1st Lt. Patrick Henson, 2nd Battalion, 32nd Field Artillery Regiment