BAGHDAD — Hizbullah is training Iran-backed Shi'ite militias in Iraq, U.S. military officials said.

Officials said Iran has sponsored the so-called Hizbullah Brigades, or Katai'b Hizbullah, in Iraq to attack U.S. and Iraqi military targets. They said Hizbullah Brigades have been equipped with advanced weapons and trained in Iran and Lebanon.

On Oct. 30, Iraqi and U.S. forces captured a suspected financier of the Hizbullah Brigades. They said another four Hizbullah-aligned operatives were also arrested in an operation in the Iraqi province of Maysan, which borders Iran.

"We have seen continuing activity by Katai'b Hizbullah," Perkins said. They are responsible for some of the more sophisticated weapons out there such as the IRAMs that I spoke about before. And they've had a continual level of activity."

"It is no secret that Iran has tried to interfere into the bilateral discussions between the United States and Iraq and have tried to interfere with the sovereign decisions of Iraq," Perkins said.

"So this has been an ongoing issue and it is one that the Iraqi people do not welcome this outside interference into their bilateral negotiations and outside interference, quite honestly, with their own sovereignty." Perkins said Hizbullah Brigades were operating around Baghdad, particularly Sadr City. He said the Iraq Army captured 34 eFPs, 160 bricks of plastic explosives and 14 107 mm rockets at a Hizbullah safe house.

"Indirect fire attacks also illustrate the total disregard they have for the safety and well being of Iraqi citizens."

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