Coalition forces captured a suspected senior Special Groups leader Wednesday morning during an operation at Baghdad International Airport.

Intelligence sources report that the captured man is part of the most senior social and operational circles of Special Groups. Most notably, he is believed to be responsible for the planning of the June 24, 2008 bombing of the Sadr City District Advisory Council meeting, where six Iraqis, two U.S. State Department employees and two U.S. service members were killed. Ten other Iraqis were wounded in the blast. The man has been known to travel in and out of Iraq to neighboring nations including Iran and Lebanon, where it is believed he meets and helps run the Iranian-backed Special Groups in Iraq.

In order to maintain the safety and security of the passengers and patrons of the airport, Coalition forces waited for the wanted man’s plane to land, and in cooperation with airport authorities, detained the man without incident.

MNF-I