Baghdad: The National Security Service announced today, Monday, the thwarting of a dangerous criminal plot targeting civil peace in the capital, Baghdad, after recording several threats against citizens in a number of areas.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, the Service stated in a press release that its detachments in Baghdad were able to dismantle a criminal network that was employing an organized method to spread terror within residential neighborhoods by distributing envelopes to citizens’ homes and vehicles, containing death and bombing threats aimed at extortion and intimidating families.

The statement added that investigations revealed the network employed a malicious method involving the use of phone numbers belonging to prominent social figures and tribal leaders who had no connection to the crime, with the intention of misleading victims and creating societal discord that threatens civil peace by implying the involvement of these individuals in the threats.

It continued, based on precise intelligence and continuous field monitoring, the agency’s detachments were able to identify one of the main perpetrators, who was subsequently arrested, and the materials and tools used in carrying out the threats were seized from him.

It noted that the first suspect’s confessions led to the identification of a second suspect involved in the extortion and threats, who was immediately arrested.

The Service confirmed that the suspects were handed over to the competent authorities to complete the investigations and take the necessary legal measures to determine the motives and connections behind these criminal acts.