(KUNA) -- US Army in Iraq declared here on Wednesday that a joint US-Iraqi force arrested one of Mahdi Army militia's leaders in a raid in Al-Kout city south of Baghdad. A US Army distributed here said the arrested person is a leader of a group specialized in preparing bombs and has connections with banned armed groups that launch attacks on Iraqi security forces and coalition forces in Wasit province. Coalition forces declared arresting the head of an office belonging to Al-Sader organization and eight of his companions in a raid last week.