BAGHDAD — Iraq has reported the capture of an Al Qaida cell said to have been responsible for scores of attacks, many of them against the security forces.

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Bolani said the AQI cell staged a July 2010 attack on a military post in eastern Baghdad in which nine soldiers and police officers were killed. The cell then set fire to the bodies of its victims. A similar attack was reported in mid-August.

"The detainees confessed to carrying out more than 70 terrorist operations against servicemen and civilians in Athamiya, Al Sadr and Al Kadhemiya," Bolani said.

On Aug. 22, the Interior Ministry held a briefing in which confessions of two of the alleged AQI cell were screened. The briefing took place amid a spike in Al Qaida attacks in the Baghdad area that have killed more than 500 people in July and August.

One of the detainees, identified as Ali Karim, said he joined Al Qaida in 2005 and participated in strikes on the Iraq Army and security forces. The second suspect, Oman Fayad, also joined in 2005 and lived and operated in eastern Baghdad. Fayad said he specialized in surveillance of targets.

"The ring, consisting of six men and three women, has been brought to justice after collecting intelligence information about its activity in the neighborhoods of east Baghdad," ministry security director Maj. Gen. Ahmed Abu Raghif said.

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