Skip Navigation
You Are In: About Us > Embassy News > 2008 Press Releases > Iraqi Security Forces Increased By 110,000 In 2007 (January 3, 2008)
Skip Left Section Navigation

2008 Press Releases

Iraqi Security Forces Increased By 110,000 In 2007

Iraq’s Central Criminal Court Tries More Than 4,000 Cases In 2007; 51 Al Qaeda In Iraq Leaders Killed Or Captured In December 

Iraq’s Security Forces continue to grow, develop their capabilities, and shoulder more of the responsibility for security.

The cache included 65 grenades, 83 rocket propelled grenades, 1,060 mortar rounds, 250 explosive projectiles, 3,000 small-arms rounds, 1,400 20 mm cannon rounds, and more than 1,000 pounds of explosives and other material for making improvised explosive devices.

There has been significant progress in Iraq on ensuring the rule of law.

  • More than 4,000 cases were tried in 2007 by the Central Criminal Court of Iraq. (Maj. Gen. Kevin Bergner, Press Briefing, 12/26/07)
  • Dozens of courts are now operating in major cities across Iraq, with over 1,100 judges, prosecutors, and examining magistrates. (Maj. Gen. Kevin Bergner, Press Briefing, 12/26/07)
  • On December 30, the Iraqi judicial system found two al Qaeda terrorists guilty of terrorism. (Maj. Gen. Kevin Bergner, Press Briefing, 1/2/08)
  • Umar Wahdallah Dod al Zangana had been al Qaeda in Iraq’s Military Emir of Baghdad and was involved in over 800 attacks against Iraqi citizens and Iraqi Security and Coalition Forces.
  • Khalid Abdul Fata Da’ud Mahmud al Mashadan was the senior Iraqi in the al Qaeda in Iraq (AQI) organization and al Qaeda’s overall Emir for Media and Propaganda activities in Iraq. 

Coalition and Iraqi forces announced at least 51 AQI leaders killed or captured during the month of December. (Maj. Gen. Kevin Bergner, Press Briefing, 1/2/08)

  • The leaders include: eight regional, city, and functional emirs; nine cell leaders; six people involved in media and propaganda activities; five foreign terrorist facilitators; seven vehicle bomb and improvised explosive device facilitators; and 16 other facilitators such as religious advisors, financiers, intelligence gatherers and weapons traffickers.
  • View MNF-I Slide Showing Ten Captured Or Killed AQI Leaders

The recent conviction and confessions of AQI member Muhammad al Matyuti shows that al Qaeda targets innocent Iraqis, contrary to the claims of Osama bin Laden and others. (Rear Adm. Gregory Smith, Press Briefing, 12/30/07)

  • On December 27, the Iraqi judicial system found Muhammad al Matyuti guilty of participating in the August Yazidi bombings which resulted in the death of some 500 innocent Iraqis.
  • Al Matyuti confessed to being a member of the Sinjar AQI network, along with Muhammad al-Afri, the overall mastermind of the Yazidi attack who was killed during a targeted raid on September 3.
  • Rear Adm. Gregory Smith: “Al Qaeda leaders have periodically stated, and as recently as [December 30] in an audiotape reportedly released by Osama bin Laden, that al Qaeda does not kill innocent civilians. However, their actions demonstrate otherwise. The Yazidi bombing, other car bombings, suicide attacks, the torture houses we reported on last week, and other indiscriminate acts of violence have all targeted innocent civilians.”