Iraq police prevent Al-Qaeda bombing campaign ahead of vote

I know I post quite a bit of Iraq military "gets" but the EM refuses to report it so it's important this gets some exposure.

Iraqi police commandos have aborted a "terror campaign" planned by Al-Qaeda in Iraq to disrupt the constitutional referendum in two days' time, a senior officer said.

"In all, 17 car bombs have been found, 17 members of the network killed and 65 others arrested," Colonel Ali Abu al-Hassan of the controversial Wolf Brigade told media following an offensive on the southern outskirts of Baghdad.

"During the operation, which was launched following tips from intelligence sources and which ended this morning, terrorist hideouts were surrounded in the Sayafia and Arab Jubur neighborhoods," the police officer added.

"The cell's aim was to strike Baghdad on referendum day," when 15.5 million Iraqis are to vote on a proposed constitution for the post-Saddam Hussein era. Firefights between the troops and suspected rebels lasted 48 hours.

17 car bombs, 17 network members killed, sounds about right.