IRAQ MINISTER CLAIMS IRAQ HAS NO EFFECTIVE GOV'T

Iraq government in crisis as staff abducted, tortured - Yahoo! News: "10 minutes ago

BAGHDAD (AFP) - Kidnappers tortured many of the dozens of hostages seized from a government building and killed some of them, a minister said, warning that
Iraq no longer had an effective government.
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Higher Education Minister Abed Dhiab al-Ujaili, a Sunni Arab member of the Shiite-led unity government, said some 75 hostages -- 40 of them his ministry's staff -- were in captivity after the raid by militiamen wearing police-style uniforms.

'Those who were set free told us that a few of the hostages have been killed, while most of them were tortured,' he told AFP. 'I'm very much concerned about their welfare,' he said of the remaining hostages.

Ujaili's comments came as the sectarian violence in the capital showed no let-up.

Gunmen stormed a bakery in the mixed Zayuniyah neighbourhood and killed nine Shiite workers in the latest attack by Sunni insurgents on a trade that has traditionally been carried out by the majority community.

Fifteen other civilians were killed in Iraq, including 10 in shootings in Baquba, north of the capital.

Ujaili said he was stepping down from the government until it secures the release of all hostages and takes action against Shiite militias suspected of infiltrating the security forces to carry out kidnappings and murders.

'I am stepping down until something has been taken actively, there's not just talking,' he told BBC radio. 'The police force should be investigated and should put the right people in the right place.'

Asked if he felt there was currently no effective government in Iraq, Ujaili replied: 'That's right, I feel, yeah, there is no effective government.'"