Iraqi terror hotline not so hot

BAGHDAD (AFP) - In the commercial on Iraqi television, it all goes smoothly. A man is kidnapped by masked gunman and shoved into the trunk of a getaway car.

As the kidnappers drive off, a passerby calls an interior ministry emergency hotline and moments later, a squad of police bursts in on the kidnappers and frees the victim.

The reality is not so simple, especially if no one picks up the phone.

At a news conference outlining security measures for this week's legislative election, Interior Minister Bayan Jabr Solagh acknowledged that the hotline set up for people to report terrorist incidents or kidnappings is faulty.

"Last night, I myself called the number at 11:00 pm and then at midnight and then at one in the morning and it just rang and rang and no one picked up.

"So I've called for an investigation of those responsible for manning the line," he said.

As part of efforts to fight crime and a raging insurgency, the interior ministry set up hotline number 130 for people to inform anonymously on violence, suspicious activities, gunmen and kidnappings.

The television commercial airs regularly on state Al-Iraqia television and urges citizens to dial the hotline and keep their eyes open for trouble.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20051211/wl_mideast_afp/iraqunresthostage