GAM told to release 3 abducted officers<\/p>\n
BANDA ACEH, Aceh (JP): The police here warned the Free Aceh
\nMovement (GAM) separatist rebels on Wednesday to release three of
\ntheir members and a military officer within a week.<\/p>\n
\"If they (GAM) fail to fulfill our ultimatum, we will not
\nhesitate to take any measures against their members, wherever
\nthey are,\" Police Special Operation Cinta Meunasah chief Sr.
\nSupt. Kusbini Imbar said.<\/p>\n
Kusbini would not go into details on the measures.<\/p>\n
He said the police learned from witnesses that GAM was behind
\nthe recent abduction of the Kuta Baro police subprecinct chief,
\nSecond Insp. Dadang Purnomo and a Mobile Brigade platoon
\ncommander Second Sgt. Mansur on Oct. 5.<\/p>\n
Kusbini added that GAM was also responsible for kidnapping an
\nAceh Besar Precinct officer Pvt. Sulaiman Yakub and a soldier of
\nMontasiek Military Subdistrict Command on the same day.<\/p>\n
He said the warning and all its consequences would not violate
\nthe Humanitarian Pause because it was GAM who initiated the
\noffense.<\/p>\n
\"We did not intend to accuse GAM, but based on witnesses'
\naccounts, we learned that they were behind the abduction and they
\nmay have killed the officers,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Separately, Aceh GAM Commander Tengku Maat Muda reiterated his
\ndenial on Wednesday that his group masterminded the abduction.<\/p>\n
\"We believe that the police have contrived the whole
\nkidnapping issue as usual to justify an operation to sweep our
\nstrongholds,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Maat said the police's ultimatum would not discourage the
\nmovement's struggle for an independent state in Aceh.<\/p>\n
\"We will carry on as usual,\" he said.<\/p>\n
GAM has been accusing the police of violating the Humanitarian
\nPause by conducting sweeping operations. In retaliation to the
\ncrackdown, the rebels attacked any police patrol they met.<\/p>\n
The police said they would continue with their routine patrol
\nto ensure security, especially against armed residents.<\/p>\n
Kusbini also said that four police officers of the Bomb
\nDisposal Squad were injured when a bomb planted inside a Kijang
\nvan exploded in Cot Krueng, Kuta Baro district on Wednesday
\nafternoon.<\/p>\n
He also accused GAM of being responsible for the bomb blast.
\n(51\/lup)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/gam-told-to-release-3-abducted-officers-1447893297",
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