Abducted Aceh community leaders released<\/p>\n
BANDA ACEH (JP): After being held hostage by Free Aceh
\nMovement (GAM) members for 22 hours, four community leaders and
\none driver were released unharmed on Sunday.<\/p>\n
GAM confirmed the release on Monday, but strongly denied
\nhaving kidnapped the people, Antara reported on Monday.<\/p>\n
\"It was just a silaturahmi (friendly meeting), as one of the
\nfive was the former teacher of a local GAM leader,\" GAM's
\nMeurahom Daya spokesman Abu Tausi said.<\/p>\n
\"They returned to their families on Sunday,\" Abu Tausi was
\nquoted as saying by a Banda Aceh-based daily.<\/p>\n
The five men were identified as Tengku M. Daud Alsufi, head of
\nPabusakah Islamic boarding school in South Aceh and also the
\nchairman of South Aceh's Ulemas Advisory Council (MPU); Jajuli Al
\nJaelani, head of Wadatul Sakdah Islamic boarding school in South
\nAceh; Tengku Muhammad Yunus Toyibi, a South Aceh legislator and
\ndeputy chief of the MPU; Tengku Muchlisin bin T.M. Daud Al Subi;
\nand Agusman, a civil servant working for the Land Transportation
\nAgency.<\/p>\n
The five were traveling home in a Kijang van, driven by
\nAgusman, after attending the ceremony welcoming President
\nMegawati Soekarnoputri in Banda Aceh on Saturday, when a group of
\narmed people intercepted the van in the area of Krueng Sabee,
\nWest Aceh.<\/p>\n
They have now returned to their respective homes in the area
\nof Kota Fajar, almost 500 kilometers south of Banda Aceh.<\/p>\n
They shared their experience with reporters, but requested
\nanonymity for security reasons.<\/p>\n
\"After our car was stopped, we were searched and then taken to
\na place about 18 kilometers away. They asked us many things,
\nincluding about the meeting with Megawati. In general we were
\ntreated well. They gave us food and drink,\" one of them said.<\/p>\n
None of the men would reveal where they were taken or who they
\nmet during the abduction.<\/p>\n
\"At about 5 p.m. on Sunday, they took us in a pickup to the
\nhighway and allowed us to take public transport to Meulaboh. Yes,
\nthey 'borrowed' our Kijang,\" one of the five said, referring to
\nthe van belonging to the Civil Servants' Wives' Association
\n(Dharma Wanita) of the South Aceh regency, which was taken by the
\nGAM members.<\/p>\n
After arriving home they were emotionally greeted by their
\nfamilies, who had reported their disappearance to local police.<\/p>\n
Spokesman for the Law and Order Operation Comr. Sudarsono told
\nreporters in Banda Aceh, that the police had yet to receive
\nreports on the release of the five people. (50\/edt\/sur)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/abducted-aceh-community-leaders-released-1447893297",
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