e-mail helps Iraqi citizens report insurgent activity

Phone line, e-mail helps Iraqi citizens report insurgent activity

MOSUL, Iraq – Iraqi Special Police Commandoes are tapping technology to give citizens here an avenue for reporting suspected insurgent activity.

A telephone line set up nearly two months ago and a more recently established e-mail address are generating about 35 tips a week, a commando adviser reported. One recent tip, about a Jihad being issued against commandoes and U.S. forces, led to the detainment of the person responsible for the edict.

“The process is working and the people of Mosul are getting tired of the terrorists,” said U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Chris Paschel, an adviser who works with the commandoes.

While most of the tips are coming in through the telephone line, about a dozen have been delivered through e-mail. The success of the elections helped boost the frequency of calls, but the tips started pouring in after commandoes started broadcasting confessions of anti-Iraqi forces on a local television station after the elections, Paschel said.

A Web site is also being developed. Using such technology is a new concept, Paschel said.

“At first, they thought the Internet was a hindrance because it was always going up and down,” he said. “But once the tips started pouring in, (one of the interrogators) was very happy to have a way for the public to send them in. It’s their job here to rid Mosul of terrorist activity.”

Tips can be e-mailed to: mosulcommando@yahoo.com or called in to: 07701730863. The information is currently relayed through a local television station, but the commandoes plan to put up billboards advertising the e-mail address and telephone number in the future, Paschel said.

For more information, please visit mnstci.iraq.centcom.mil -30-

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 4, 2005 Contact: Capt. Steven Alvarez IRAQNA Cell: 011-964-0790-191-0615E-mail: alvarezsj@mnstci.iraq.centcom.mil

PRESS RELEASE MULTI-NATIONAL SECURITY TRANSITION COMMAND – IRAQ