Two days after Iraq announced receiving a new batch of families accused of affiliating with ISIS from Syria’s al-Hol camp, the Iraqi National Security Service announced on Thursday that it thwarted the formation of a “terrorist” cell and arrested 20 members, including a “senior” official in Nineveh, Anbar, and Kirkuk.
In a press statement, the agency stated, “Our teams succeeded in disrupting a terrorist cell in Nineveh and arresting its members, who number (4) individuals.” It was revealed that “during the investigation, the accused confessed to having a secret cache, which, upon inspection, was found to contain a variety of light and medium weapons, assorted ammunition, and materials for making explosives.”
Additionally, the agency highlighted that “teams in Kirkuk, based on precise intelligence and significant field efforts, and after obtaining judicial approvals, managed to arrest one of the prominent elements of the ISIS terrorist gangs.”
The agency further explained that “the terrorist was responsible for what is called (the Office of Affairs of Prisoners and Martyrs for the State of Iraq) during the terrorist gangs’ control over parts of the country.”
The teams in Nineveh, Anbar, and Kirkuk also succeeded in arresting 15 terrorists with existing judicial arrest warrants, according to the statement, which noted that “the statements of the accused were officially recorded and they were referred to the competent legal authorities for necessary legal actions
