Mosques are no longer off limits in Iraq. (Hat tip: Rick.)

Iraq News, Baghdad, Oct 12 (IANS) US and Iraqi forces Tuesday raided seven mosques in Ramadi, a Sunni militant stronghold some 100 km west of this Iraqi capital.

“The mosques are suspected of participating in spectrum of insurgent activity, including harbouring known terrorists, storing illegal weapons cashes, promoting violence and encouraging insurgent recruitment,” Xinhua quoted a US military statement as saying.

The statement said great efforts were made to avoid risks to non-combatants and collateral damage, but angry residents accused the US forces of breaking down doors and damaging furniture inside the mosques.