Aceh police question two foreign women<\/p>\n
Agence France-Presse, Banda Aceh<\/p>\n
Two foreign women allegedly found with photos and documents
\nlinked to separatist rebels are being questioned by police in
\nIndonesia's Aceh province, police said Thursday.<\/p>\n
Police spokesman Taufiq identified them as Lesley Jane, 42,
\nborn in Scotland and an instructor at a university in Tasmania,
\nAustralia, and Joy Lee, also 42, a retired American health worker
\nborn in Iowa.<\/p>\n
Their translator, an Aceh university student, was also
\ndetained, police said.<\/p>\n
Taufiq said they were detained by Indonesian soldiers at a
\ncheckpoint in South Aceh district Wednesday afternoon before
\nbeing handed over to police.<\/p>\n
\"From the initial investigation, security personnel found a
\nnumber of documents related to the activities of GAM,\" Taufiq
\nsaid, referring to the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) rebels who have
\nbeen fighting for an independent homeland since 1976.<\/p>\n
Among the items were photos and written GAM documents, he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Investigation showed they had spent four days at the South
\nAceh GAM headquarters in Manggamat, he said.<\/p>\n
The women were not arrested and did not spend Wednesday night
\nin a police station. But they were required to report to police
\nThursday for continued questioning, Taufiq said.<\/p>\n
If they are found not to have violated the law they will be
\nallowed to continue their activities, he said.<\/p>\n
An estimated 10,000 people have died since GAM began its fight
\nfor an independent homeland in 1976 in the energy-rich province
\non Sumatra island, with rights activists putting the toll for
\nthis year alone at around 1,000.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/aceh-police-question-two-foreign-women-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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