keywords: samarra gunmen terror iraq spies
text: Samarra May Be Key to Handling Iraq Cities (AP) AP - For two months, this historic city of commerce and culture was a "no-go" zone for American troops, firmly in the grip of religious extremists, some linked to al-Qaida. During that time, residents say they endured a reign of terror, where gunmen snatched men from their homes and killed at least 10 of them as American spies.