24th Marine Expeditionary Unit

FORWARD OPERATING BASE ISKANDARIYAH, Iraq -- Marines from the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit seized three improvised explosive devices and detained one suspect during a cordon-and-knock mission outside of the forward operating base here Aug. 14.The Marines from Charlie Company, Battalion Landing Team 1st Bn., 2nd Marines, conducted the mission in hopes of finding IEDs and other weapons.“This was a good find for us,” said Sgt. Randy Hawkins, 27, a Mosspoint, Miss., native and squad leader with Charlie Company. “Any time you can get some IEDs off the street, it is good.”Charlie Company, together with a few attachments of Marines and an interpreter, secured the area around the suspected house then knocked on the door and announced who they were.“The suspect was being very compliant with us,” said Hawkins. “He let us in and we started searching.”After checking the living room and another room in the house, the Marines asked about entering a room that was locked. Once they gained entry, the Marines began their search and found the IEDs along with one hand grenade.“He had that stuff pretty well hidden,” said Hawkins. “Found two of the IEDs and the hand grenade up in the ceiling panels. We found the third [IED] wrapped up in some clothes.”The Marines then detained the suspect and called an explosive ordnance disposal technician to remove the items from the house.“We just provided security for EOD until he was finished, then loaded back onto the vehicles and headed home,” said Hawkins.The Marines from the 24th MEU continue to make their presence known in the areas around their forward operating bases. The goal of these missions is to help bring security and stabilization to the region by disrupting the flow of weapons and IEDs.