Anti-Insurgent Raids Net Large Seizure of Iraqi Rebels, Weapons

U.S. and Iraqi government forces have captured scores of suspected insurgents and seized an enormous stockpile of weapons and explosives during anti-insurgent operations in Iraq.

The U.S. military says 81 suspected rebels were rounded up Thursday in raids around Youssifiyeh, south of the capital, Baghdad. Iraqi officials say Abu Saeed, a top lieutenant of wanted terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, was captured in Mosul.

Military officials also say U.S. and Iraqi troops uncovered what they called the largest cache of weapons found so far, in a mosque in Fallujah.

The discovery came as Iraqi troops searching for suspected terrorist hideouts in Fallujah uncovered what appeared to be a chemical bomb factory. Iraqi officials say the laboratory may have been used to make toxic substances and contained pamphlets on manufacturing anthrax.

Some information for this report provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.