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NEWS RELEASE HEADQUARTERS UNITED STATES CENTRAL COMMAND 7115 South Boundary Boulevard MacDill AFB, Fla. 33621-5101 Phone: (813) 827-5894; FAX: (813) 827-2211; DSN 651-5894

September 5, 2004
Release Number: 04-09-07


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


BORDER PATROL NOW HAS NIGHT VISION; VEHICLES TO INCREASE BORDER SECURITY

Mosul, Iraq -- Members of the Iraqi Border Patrol in Diyanah and Rabiyah, Iraq received 90 sets of night vision goggles and 55 new Jeep Libertys in recent handover ceremonies in Mosul. The new equipment increases the level of security along Iraq's northern border.

Border patrol guards in Diyanah received 32 new Jeep Libertys and Border patrol guards from Rabiyah also received 23 new Jeeps and 90 sets of night vision goggles. Forty-three additional vehicles are awaiting pick up by the Rabiyah-based border patrol unit at a later date.

The increased number of vehicles, purchased by Multinational Corps-Iraq, will allow border patrol units to conduct multiple patrolling missions along the borders simultaneously. Because of previous equipment shortages, border patrol guards were limited in the number of patrols that could be conducted at any one time.

The goggles, provided by Multinational Brigade-Northwest, headquartered in Mosul, were purchased from the Commander's Emergency Response Program, a program that allows military commanders and Iraqi community leaders to identify key spending priorities in communities across northern Iraq. The total cost of the goggles was more than $400,000.

Until now, the border patrol guards didn't have access to night vision equipment, making it very difficult to monitor movement along the border at night.

Iraqi government officials have long recognized Iraq's border regions as the entry point for terrorists, weapons and money funding terrorist activities across the country. Increasing the border patrol guards' ability to successfully monitor the border will decrease the number of terrorists and smugglers entering the country illegally.

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