BAGHDAD -- Iraqi security forces captured a local al-Qaida leader and eleven of his militants who believed to be responsible for the hostage-taking in a Baghdad's church and some other recent high-profile attacks in the capital, state-run television reported on Saturday.

"An Interior Ministry force arrested Hudhaifa al-Battawi, the military leader of Baghdad's al-Qaida militant group in Mansour district in western Baghdad," the  television of Iraqia quoted Major Gen. Ahmed Abu Rgheif from Interior Ministry as saying.

Abu Rgheif said that his troops captured 12 of al-Qaida militants, including the group's newly appointed military leader of Baghdad, during an operation carried out on Wednesday, the channel said.

He said the captured militants confessed their responsibility for most of Baghdad's recent high-profile terrorist attacks, including hostage taking attack on Baghdad's Christian worshippers at a Baghdad church that killed 58 people and wounded some 75 others.

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The group was also responsible for the deadly attacks on the Iraqi Central Bank, the bureau of al-Arabiyah pan-Arab news channel and other attacks against jewellers shops in Baghdad, Rgheif said.

During the operation, the troops seized five factories to build car bombs, roadside bombs and explosive-vests, along with seizing six tons of explosives and many barrels of toxic substance, he said.

Iraq frequently said that security troops killed or captured al- Qaida leaders across the country, including the killing of two top leaders Abu Omer al-Baghdadi and Abu Ayyub al-Musri during a military operation by Iraqi and U.S. forces earlier in the year.