MUJAHIDEEN LINKED TO RED CRESCENT BUILDING BOMBING
Camp Blue Diamond, Iraq - A First Marine Division dismounted patrol observed a single man signaling a van traveling along a main thoroughfare in the city of Ramadi on Friday, Oct 8.
Just prior to the man getting into the vehicle there was a large explosion at the Red Crescent building. At the same time, the patrol observed four Iraqi males with a video camera filming the explosion as it occurred.
As the Marines moved toward the site of the explosion, the four Iraqi males began to flee toward the Suphi Al Hetie Mosque. The Marines followed the suspected insurgents to the Mosque and maintained a watch. The Marines contacted the local Joint Coordination Center and requested Iraqi Police support.
The IP's responded and went into the Mosque in search of the four individuals, but found nothing.
The man signaling for the van and the vehicle could not be located after the explosion.
Fresh Arabic graffiti was found on a wall outside the Red Crescent building signed by the Army of Mujahideen Ramadi.
The circumstances surrounding this recent act of terrorism in Ramadi are similar to those of previous bombings in the past two weeks in what can be described as a deliberate insurgent intimidation and propaganda campaign.
On September 28, after an explosion destroyed the Coalition of Iraqi National Unity building, video footage of the aftereffects were described as the results of an MNF air strike by international television. Multi-National Force officials immediately refuted the erroneous report by showing that no MNF aircraft had dropped bombs in Ramadi for more than a month prior to the irreverent destruction.
On October 1, a Marine Corps security patrol investigating an explosion reported that a building near a woman's college had been destroyed. The same day, MNF killed a man in a brief small arms exchange immediately following an explosion at the Ramadi Agricultural Center. A positive trace of gunpowder residue consistent with bomb making material was discovered on the man's clothing and skin.
The Agricultural Center had recently received a $90,000 face-lift and was to be a symbolic centerpiece of progress and cooperation in Ramadi.
Insurgents continue to make efforts to destroy city infrastructure with the senseless bombings of community buildings. They do this in order to deceive the citizens of Iraq and place blame on the Multi-National Force.
The First Marine Division continues to be committed to the Multi-National Force and the interim Iraqi government in its efforts to set the conditions for a secure, revitalized and independent Iraq.
Release #041009a
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