U.S. and Iraqi forces captured a high-level aide of the radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr in a raid early on Friday on a Shiite neighborhood in eastern Baghdad, the U. S. military said.

Based on credible intelligence, the U.S. and Iraqi forces detained the leader of illegal armed group Punishment Committee Activity (Islamic legitimate court), which has been involved in organizing kidnapping, torture and murder of Iraqi civilians, the U.S. military said in a statement.

"The suspect is also reportedly involved in the assassination of numerous Iraqi Security Forces members and government officials, " the statement said, adding "he is believed to be affiliated with Abu Dura and other Baghdad death squad commanders."

Abu Dura is a Shiite feared militia leader who gained a reputation for his brutality in kidnapping and killing civilians.

The operation took place in the Baladiyat neighborhood adjacent to the Shiite bastion of Sadr City in eastern Baghdad.

Two more suspects were detained during the raid for further questioning, said the statement.

A source from Sadr office also told Xinhua anonymously that Sheik Abdul-Hadi al-Darraji, the media director of Sadr office in Baghdad was captured at about 2:00 a.m. (2300 GMT Thursday) when the U.S. and Iraqi forces raided a Shiite mosque in the eastern neighborhood of Baladiyat.

The source did not give further details about the incident.

Source: Xinhua