"Our participation in these raids has been limited to supporting Iraqi security forces," U.S. Brig. Gen. Joseph F. Dunford said of the Ramadi raids. Ramadi is about 70 miles (113 kilometers) west of Baghdad.

"The mosques are suspected of participating in an enormous number of insurgent activity, including abetting known terrorists, storing illegal weapons caches, launching attack against the Iraqi people and supporting insurgent recruitment, " said a statement from the Combined Press Information Center.

The U.S. military said the mosques being holy sites enjoy immunity unless they are used for militant purposes.