European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - May 3, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse                                May 2007 stars and stripes Mideast edition Page 3 4th Stryker but joins surge in Baghdad Thomas of the army 1st class John a platoon sergeant with the 4th Stryker brigade combat 2nd infantry works the radio for test fires at the Dairi Range in Kuwait on the brigade moved into Iraq recently to supplement the reputed death of militant still not confirmed by Kim Gamel the associated press Baghdad the Interior ministry is trying to gain custody of what it thinks May be the body of Abu Ayyub a senior iraqi official said wednesday amid widespread scepticism Over reports that the Leader of al Aida in Iraq had been a police official in Anbar province said Almasri died when his explosives Belt detonated during fighting but Security forces could not retrieve the body be cause it was in a part of the desert con trolled by the terror authorities urged caution about the saying they had not been confirmed and warn ing that even if the claim was the death of the shadowy egyptian Mili Tant Likely would not spell the end of al Aida in we still dont know what the status a military rear Mark said adding that the military was not involved in the operation that purportedly killed i Haven seen any reports that we have any or that we took or that we had any participation he said at a news conference in adding there were no american forces in the area where it was said to have of reports of Almasri death first emerged tuesday from the Interior min which said the al Aida Leader was gunned Down by rivals in his movement at a Bridge near Lake tharthare just North of where the military believes al Aida operates training in a series of conflicting iraqi officials later said Almasri death had not been although they believed they had Strong intelligence that it was a senior Interior ministry Hussein said wednesday that officials were trying to gain custody of the but he declined to comment Almasri by Joseph Giordono stars and stripes a fourth army brigade has arrived in and around Baghdad to complement the american troop officials said the 4th Stryker brigade combat 2nd infantry out of fort will be deployed in various locations around the their Mission will be to assist iraqi Security forces to control and retain key areas of the capital City in order to reduce a military news release the brigade is made up of around officials even As president Bush and the con Gress continue wrangling Over War funding and the surge policy of putting nearly additional american troops in the buildup in Baghdad has three other brigades the 3rd 3rd infantry division 2nd 82nd airborne and 4th 1st infantry division have arrived in Baghdad Over the previous three in five army brigades have been tapped to make up the bulk of additional originally announced As the surge also includes thousands of extra logistical and military police per the new Security plan involves putting iraqi and american troops in smaller com Bat outposts within the the aim is to provide around Hemlock troop presence in neighbourhoods that had limited oversight several Marine corps units also have been extended in Anbar the 4th Stryker brigade combat team Haidar blindfolded detainees sit on the ground at the joint military Headquarters in 12 Miles South of on fifty six suspected insurgents were arrested in a raid in a Village West of violence leaves 47 dead on eve of Iraq conference by Hamid Ahmed the associated press Baghdad while the and iraqi Milit Aries moved to Complete an increase of forces in the shootings and mortar attacks left at least 47 people dead across the the developments came on the eve of an International conference in the egyptian re sort of Sharm Elsheikh in a bid to boost world economic and diplomatic support for Iraq and reduce the tide of sectarian Vio Lence and terrorism military spokesman rear Mark Fox said wednesday that iraqi and forces now have 57 joint Security stations and combat outposts in the Baghdad area and that while the Security situation remains exceedingly weve seen some encouraging signs of but violence persisted the deadliest attacks included a suicide car bombing that killed at least nine people in Baghdad Sadr and a Roadside bombing of a minibus that killed at least eight people South of the at least 19 Bullet riddled bodies apparent victims of so called sectarian death squads also were including 10 in the Northeast Ern City of the Security efforts come As president Bush is engaged in a fierce debate with the democratic led Congress Over the Bush vetoed legislation to pull troops out of Iraq in a historic showdown with con Gress Over whether the unpopular and costly War should end or the measure would have required the first combat troops to be withdrawn by 1 with a goal of a Complete pullout six months Ismail a 41yearold shiite electricity ministry employee in welcomed the in spite of All the prob lems Iraq is facing because of the american there is some need for them at least for one More year because of the Sec tarian strife in Iraq and corruption in these purity he Sameer a 22yearold sunni col lege student in said he wanted the forces to withdraw but didst think they Ever even if they will with draw they will leave permanent military bases in Iraq and that is something iraqi people will he was formed in june according to a separate military release issued wednes one of the brigades battalions will be making the combat debut of the newest Edi Tion of the Stryker the improved strikers have a new 105 my a mounted m240c machine gun and a Pedestal mounted m2 machine officials digital targeting takes into account the wind the cant of the vehicle and the barometric officials the new systems were test fired at Udai i Range in Kuwait before the unit moved North into if i was looking Down this id con Sider it a 1st class John Abronski of the 4th 9th infantry was quoted As email Joseph Giordono at  deaths in Iraq the associated press As of at least Mem Bers of the military have died since the beginning of the Iraq War in March according to an associated press the figure includes seven military i at least died As a result of hostile according to the Mili Tarys the a count is the same As the de sense departments last updated tuesday at 10 the British military has reported 146 deaths 33 18 20 13 11 six al five four three Netherlands and two each and Hun Kazakhstan and one death since the Start of military operations in servicemen Bers have been wounded in hostile a according to the defense depart ments weekly the latest deaths reported by the Mili tary no deaths the latest identifications reported by the military army staff Jay Baltimore died sunday when an explosive detonated near his unit in Baghdad assigned to the 3rd 61st Cav Alry 2nd brigade combat 2nd infantry fort car army Alexander Bel died sunday when an explosive detonated near his unit in Baghdad assigned to the 3rd 61st cavalry 2nd brigade combat 2nd infantry fort army Brian Iowa died sunday when an explosive detonated near his unit in Baghdad assigned to the 3rd 61st Cav Alry 2nd brigade combat 2nd infantry fort car army Norman co Ohio died saturday in Bagh dad of wounds from Small arms fire As signed to the 1st 504th Para Chute infantry 1st brigade combat 82nd airborne fort