U.S. Troops Find Cache of Weapons at Cemetery

BAGHDAD — U.S. soldiers searching a cemetery in the dark Saturday seized weapons and ammunition and detained half a dozen people, one of whom carried a 9-millimeter pistol, a grenade and papers that troops said were believed to be plans for an attack.

The soldiers on Operation Grave Digger at King’s Cemetery found six AK-47 rifles, five fragmentation grenades, loads of ammunition, bayonets and other weapons, including a machine gun.

Most of the arrests were for curfew violations.

A prior raid also had turned up rocket-propelled grenades and launchers, the weapon of choice for guerrillas.

Because weapons were stored there, the cemetery was no longer protected under rules of engagement, according to U.S. officers.

Residents of the neighborhood and special operations forces had tipped them off about the cache.

The soldiers launched the operation in the dark, during a U.S.-imposed curfew, to avoid attracting a crowd or potential protests from anyone offended by foreigners disturbing the graves of their ancestors.

“One of those rounds was earmarked for a soldier or a convoy.... We may have saved somebody’s life,” said Lt. Col. Bill Rabena, commanding officer of the unit conducting the search of the cemetery.