Caches continue to pour in to coalition forces

Photo By Sgt. Kevin Stabinsky | A large group of weapons from several caches collected from an amnesty point in Maderiyah May 21 lay on display awaiting detonation at Joint Security Site W1.  

ISKANDARIYAH, IRAQ

05.25.2008

Story by Sgt. Kevin Stabinsky 

2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division Public Affairs

By Sgt. Kevin Stabinsky

FORWARD OPERATING BASE KALSU, Iraq – Amnesty drop off points are not a new idea in the Army. Whether coming off a range, field exercise or going through customs returning home from deployment, such drop off points give Soldiers a chance to discreetly dispose of contraband and avoid repercussions.

Now, in the Maderiyah area, 25 kilometers south of Baghdad, the same privileges are being offered to citizens.

"The biggest fear a lot of these people have is getting arrested," said 1st Lt. Greg Highstrom, platoon leader for 2nd Platoon, Battery B, 1st Battalion, 9th Field Artillery, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division.

Getting arrested is a guarantee for those who hold caches in their homes or backyards and refuse to turn them over to coalition forces. However, many people who have no ill will toward coalition forces are still afraid to contact them to remove caches for fear of reprisal from al-Qaida.

Captain Richard Aaron, commander of Btry. B, 1-9th FA, said al-Qaida forced many people to hide weapons under the threat of torture or death. Because of this, many people are afraid of having Soldiers seen on their property.

To avoid this, Aaron devised the plan of an amnesty drop point. This gives people the opportunity to turn in weapons without putting them in harm's way.

"There's no face to face," said Highstrom, a native of Cedarburg, Wis. "They just drop the stuff off at their convenience."

The convenience works both ways, Highstrom said. The citizens feel safer, while coalition forces can go to one central location to collect weapons without having to conduct searches.

So far the program has seen great success, Highstrom said, with weapons turned in daily. A typical turn-in includes rocket-propelled grenades, mortars, DSHKA rounds, grenades, small arms ammunition and rocket primers. More exotic items such as a surface-to-air missile and high-explosive warheads have also been turned in.

Such finds are increasing due to recent operations in the area and a sense of trust built by Battery B with residents, Aaron said.

Aaron, a native of Middleboro, Mass., said that after conducting Operation Montana earlier this month, the tips from locals began pouring in. During this operation, Iraqi citizens saw how those who turned in caches willingly were not detained, while those who refused were arrested. Seeing this, more people turned in weapons or informed Soldiers of where to find them.

"Removing weapons takes away al-Qaida's ability to conduct future operations against our Soldiers, the Iraqi Army or the locals," Aaron said.

With more than 40 caches being turned in over the past two weeks, any future al-Qaeda operation has indeed been hampered.

"Every day caches keep coming in," Aaron said. "Many times nonstop throughout the day."

For example, on May 22, five caches were turned in or pointed out. The total haul for the day included one roll of wire with a blasting cap, two spools of copper wire, a 60 mm mortar, two mortar fuses, two mortar primers, four RPG rockets, 45 RPG boosters, a machine gun with 100 rounds and one fully-functional suicide vest with 20 pounds of TNT and two hand held triggers.

Ammunition cases, including one box filled with 50 12.7 mm rounds, one box filled with 40 23 mm rounds, an ammo bandolier with 200 PKC and 200 AK-47 rounds, six AK-47 magazines and a Glock pistol magazine were located with the weapons.

The finds also included intelligence-gathering material and propaganda such as two radios, a video recorder with six video tapes, an al-Qaida newsletter and an anti-American pamphlet.

"Such cooperation is helping to keep the area safe and free of al-Qaida," Said Highstrom of the interaction between U.S. and Iraqi soldiers and local citizens.

Highstrom said even if al-Qaida tried to come back to the area, they would only find the weapons they tried to hide have been discovered and removed.

• Date Taken: 05.25.2008
• Date Posted: 05.25.2008 14:57
• Story ID: 19792
• Location: ISKANDARIYAH, IQ