BAGHDAD (Reuters) - The U.S. military said on Saturday it was interrogating 74 people detained in a raid in northern Iraq (news - web sites) to determine whether they were active members of Osama bin Laden (news - web sites)'s al Qaeda network.
"Initial indications are that they are al Qaeda sympathizers," a U.S. army spokesman said. "What we're trying to do is validate that through the interrogation process."
Asked whether the group had been actively planning attacks on U.S. forces, or just sympathized with bin Laden's anti- American ideology, the spokesman said: "An al Qaeda sympathizer is somebody who would do the coalition and the country of Iraq harm, and frankly the whole world harm."
The army said the suspected al Qaeda members were captured in a raid on Thursday near the northern city of Kirkuk. It would not say whether they were Iraqis or foreigners.
Before the U.S.-led invasion to topple Saddam Hussein (news - web sites), President Bush (news - web sites) had accused the Iraqi leader of sponsoring terrorism and having links with al Qaeda. Saddam denied this and Washington has not proved its charges.
This week U.S. forces fought their bloodiest battles in Iraq since Bush declared major combat over on May 1.
The U.S. army said it killed 70 people in a combined air and land assault on a "terrorist training camp" in western Iraq on Thursday, and 27 people who it said ambushed a U.S. tank patrol north of Baghdad on Friday.
Friday's battle was fought near the town of Balad, some 60 miles north of Baghdad. Last Monday, U.S. forces launched their biggest operation in more than six weeks to flush out guerrillas in the area who have staged repeated deadly ambushes on American soldiers.
HOUSES RANSACKED
The U.S. army spokesman said the mission, called Operation Peninsula Strike, was winding down on Saturday. He declined to give an estimate of civilian casualties from the operation.
Angry locals say houses were ransacked and residents detained, assaulted and shot during the U.S. sweep through the restive, mainly Sunni Muslim area. They say the operation has fueled bitter resentment toward Iraq's U.S. occupiers.
The U.S. spokesman said American forces were careful to minimize civilian casualties and damage to property.
"We understand that such operations are going to cause some resentment," he said. "But the people we are targeting are those who would do us harm."
U.S. officers say Saddam loyalists are behind attacks and ambushes in central Iraq that have killed some 40 U.S. soldiers in the past six weeks.
The U.S. army said foreign fighters were believed to be among the dead from Thursday's raid on the alleged terrorist camp in western Iraq, but declined to give nationalities.
"There are indications that there were foreign fighters involved in the camp," the spokesman said.
Arab volunteers from several countries fought with Iraqi forces during the war launched on March 20.
The army said 70 to 80 SAM-7 surface-to-air missiles were found at the camp, along with anti-tank weapons and rifles.
The military also said on Saturday that an Iraqi detained by U.S. troops was killed and seven were wounded trying to escape from a Baghdad prison on Friday.
On the reconstruction front, it said the main oil pipeline from Iraq to Turkey was expected to be back in working condition within 48 hours after it was hit by fire and explosions caused by a gas leak.
The pipeline has not resumed pumping oil halted by the U.S. attack on Baghdad. Iraq hopes to restore normal exports in July after it completes sales from storage at the end of this month.
"Initial indications are that they are al Qaeda sympathizers," a U.S. army spokesman said. "What we're trying to do is validate that through the interrogation process."
Asked whether the group had been actively planning attacks on U.S. forces, or just sympathized with bin Laden's anti- American ideology, the spokesman said: "An al Qaeda sympathizer is somebody who would do the coalition and the country of Iraq harm, and frankly the whole world harm."
The army said the suspected al Qaeda members were captured in a raid on Thursday near the northern city of Kirkuk. It would not say whether they were Iraqis or foreigners.
Before the U.S.-led invasion to topple Saddam Hussein (news - web sites), President Bush (news - web sites) had accused the Iraqi leader of sponsoring terrorism and having links with al Qaeda. Saddam denied this and Washington has not proved its charges.
This week U.S. forces fought their bloodiest battles in Iraq since Bush declared major combat over on May 1.
The U.S. army said it killed 70 people in a combined air and land assault on a "terrorist training camp" in western Iraq on Thursday, and 27 people who it said ambushed a U.S. tank patrol north of Baghdad on Friday.
Friday's battle was fought near the town of Balad, some 60 miles north of Baghdad. Last Monday, U.S. forces launched their biggest operation in more than six weeks to flush out guerrillas in the area who have staged repeated deadly ambushes on American soldiers.
HOUSES RANSACKED
The U.S. army spokesman said the mission, called Operation Peninsula Strike, was winding down on Saturday. He declined to give an estimate of civilian casualties from the operation.
Angry locals say houses were ransacked and residents detained, assaulted and shot during the U.S. sweep through the restive, mainly Sunni Muslim area. They say the operation has fueled bitter resentment toward Iraq's U.S. occupiers.
The U.S. spokesman said American forces were careful to minimize civilian casualties and damage to property.
"We understand that such operations are going to cause some resentment," he said. "But the people we are targeting are those who would do us harm."
U.S. officers say Saddam loyalists are behind attacks and ambushes in central Iraq that have killed some 40 U.S. soldiers in the past six weeks.
The U.S. army said foreign fighters were believed to be among the dead from Thursday's raid on the alleged terrorist camp in western Iraq, but declined to give nationalities.
"There are indications that there were foreign fighters involved in the camp," the spokesman said.
Arab volunteers from several countries fought with Iraqi forces during the war launched on March 20.
The army said 70 to 80 SAM-7 surface-to-air missiles were found at the camp, along with anti-tank weapons and rifles.
The military also said on Saturday that an Iraqi detained by U.S. troops was killed and seven were wounded trying to escape from a Baghdad prison on Friday.
On the reconstruction front, it said the main oil pipeline from Iraq to Turkey was expected to be back in working condition within 48 hours after it was hit by fire and explosions caused by a gas leak.
The pipeline has not resumed pumping oil halted by the U.S. attack on Baghdad. Iraq hopes to restore normal exports in July after it completes sales from storage at the end of this month.
