MP says sorry for war game goof

A Norwegian member of parliament created a storm when he was caught playing a game on his Pocket PC during a debate on his country's military involvement in Iraq.

According to the BBC, Trond Helleland was captured on national television playing the space-set war game.

Helleland said he had been tempted to try out the game, Metalion (in which players shoot laser cannons at drones), as he checked his diary for appointments.

He played the game for about seven minutes in full view of TV cameras, which had zoomed in on him from behind.

In his defence, Helleland said that he had at least turned off the computer's sound.

"I realise it was very stupid of me ... I will not do it again," he was quoted as saying.

The chamber had been debating defence issues, including Norwegian participation in coalition forces in Afghanistan and whether to join in any US-led military action against Iraq.