"During the past few weeks, Iraqis in the United States have become our unheralded partners in operation Iraqi Freedom. America is honoured by their sacrifices and the risks they have endured to help liberate Iraq," Ashcroft told a press conference.

"The Department of Justice greatly appreciates the assistance and the cooperation of the Iraqi community here in the United States," he said.

Expressing similar sentiments, Mueller said the FBI had carried out some 11,000 interviews with Iraqi-Americans, providing around 250 leads which had been passed on the US military for use for in their search for weapons of mass destruction and terrorist links.

He also said that the FBI was to send agents to Iraq to assist in the recovery of ancient and priceless artifacts looted from the country's national museum in Baghdad.

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