Allied forces raid mosques in rebel redoubt of Ramadi

A U.S. plane attacked a mosque in the town of Hit.
BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) -- Iraqi forces backed by U.S. soldiers and Marines raided mosques today in the insurgent stronghold of Ramadi and detained a prominent cleric after fierce clashes that hospital officials said killed at least four people.
U.S. aircraft also rocketed a mosque northwest of Ramadi on Monday after insurgents opened fire from there on U.S. Marines, the command said.
The seven mosques targeted in Ramadi are suspected of supporting insurgents through a range of activities, including harboring terrorists, storing illegal weapons caches, promoting violence and encouraging insurgent recruitment, the U.S. command said.
Sheikh Abdul-Aleim Saadi, the provincial leader of the influential Association of Muslim Scholars, was detained at Mohammed Aref Mosque, his relatives and followers said.
Residents angry
Angry residents accused Americans of disrespecting the sanctity of city mosques.
"This cowboy behavior cannot be accepted," said cleric Abdullah Abu Omar of the Ramadi Mosque. "The Americans seem to have lost their senses and have gone out of control."
The 1st Marine Division said the raids followed a pattern of insurgent activity in and around Ramadi mosques in recent weeks.
"The 1st Marine Division respects the religious and cultural significance represented by mosques," it said in a statement. "However, when insurgents violate the sanctity of the mosque by using the structure for military purposes, the site loses its protective status."
The participation of American Marines and soldiers in the raids was limited to supporting Iraqi security forces, said Brig. Gen. Joseph Dunford, assistant division commander of the 1st Marine Division.
Days of clashes
The raids followed two days of clashes in the city, a Sunni militant stronghold 70 miles west of Baghdad. Insurgents fired two mortars at the city hall and neighboring police directorate Monday night, sparking gunfire and rocket-propelled grenade exchanges, residents said.
Three policemen and a civilian were killed, said Dr. Dhia Abdul-Karim, at the city hospital.
U.S. forces have also clashes with insurgents holed up in mosques in other areas.
Airstrike on mosque
On Monday, U.S. aircraft attacked a mosque in the nearby town of Hit and set it on fire after insurgents hiding in the shrine opened fire on American Marines, the U.S. military said.
In Mosul, 225 miles northwest of Baghdad, insurgents opened fire from a mosque after a car bomb exploded in front of a U.S. convoy, the military said. One U.S. soldier was killed and nine were wounded, the U.S. command said. City hospitals reported at least two Iraqis killed and 18 wounded.
U.S. and Iraqi forces are trying to clamp down on rebel enclaves in time to hold nationwide elections in January.
Turkey's foreign minister confirmed today that 10 Turks abducted last month in Iraq had been freed. Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said 10 employees of the Turkish construction company VINSAN were released and that their families were notified of their release.
"They are in good health; they were not treated badly, they're very happy to be released," Ali Haydar Veziroglu, VINSAN chairman of the board, told private NTV television by telephone from Baghdad.
Freedom confirmed
Al-Jazeera television had reported the release of the 10 hostages on Sunday but Gul's announcement was the first confirmation that they were free. The Ankara-based construction company announced in late September that it was halting operations in Iraq.
In insurgent-held Fallujah, U.S. warplanes struck twice early today, destroying a popular restaurant and a house which the U.S. command said were used by members of Iraq's most feared terrorist organization. At least five people were killed and two wounded, the city hospital said.
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