Military arrests wives of GAM suspects<\/p>\n
A'an Suryana
\nThe Jakarta Post
\nLhokseumawe, Aceh<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Military (TNI) is trying all means at its disposal
\nto locate and capture Free Aceh Movement (GAM) rebels, including
\narresting the wives of suspected separatists.<\/p>\n
The wives of eight alleged GAM rebels spent 24 hours at the
\nCentral Aceh Military Headquarters for questioning before they
\nwere released on Saturday.<\/p>\n
Maj. Indra Nasution, chief of the Airborne Battalion operating
\nin the regency, said the women were arrested in Permata district
\nwhile they were returning to their respective villages from a
\nrefugee camp.<\/p>\n
Indra said one of the women was the wife of Muzakkir ben Abdul
\nManaf, the commander of GAM's armed wing.<\/p>\n
\"She is the fourth wife of Muzakkir,\" said Indra.<\/p>\n
Six of the women have been identified as Yurnidan, the wife of
\nRasidin; Samiah, the wife of Muda Sedang; Nuraini, the wife of
\nSyamsul; Latifah, the wife of Awaludin; Ratifah, the wife of
\nAregan; and Anisah, the wife of Abdurrahman.<\/p>\n
The seventh is Muzakkir's fourth wife. Indra refused to
\ndisclose the identity of the eighth wife.<\/p>\n
He declined to provide details of the substance of the
\nquestioning.<\/p>\n
\"We are still looking for their husbands,\" Indra said.<\/p>\n
During the questioning, the women claimed they knew nothing
\nabout the separatist group. They also told the military officers
\nthey had never take up arms against government troops.<\/p>\n
Earlier on Saturday, military personnel shot dead a suspected
\nGAM member in the swampy Alu Dua area in Nisam district, North
\nAceh.<\/p>\n
The soldiers also found several documents and other property
\nthey said belonged to GAM members in the area.<\/p>\n
First. Sgt. Mudji Utama said some 15 TNI troops under his
\ncommand went to the area in the wee hours on Saturday after
\nreceiving a tip-off from local residents about the presence of
\nGAM members there.<\/p>\n
The soldiers were preparing an ambush when five suspected
\nrebels, each carrying a rifle, approached on three motorcycles
\nheading toward nearby Semirah district.<\/p>\n
\"There was a gunfight, and one was shot dead but the others
\ngot away,\" Mudji told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
The troops seized ammunition, a small machete bearing \"TNA\"
\n(GAM National Army), a photo album depicting GAM military
\ntraining, two green berets with the Atjeh-Sumatra National
\nLiberation Front logo, a large GAM flag, several GAM badges and
\nseveral green military-type uniforms.<\/p>\n
The troops also found several documents that spelled out the
\ncommand structure of GAM and GAM laws. The documents were signed
\nby Muzakkir Manaf.<\/p>\n
In Lhokseumawe, military authorities expelled on Saturday
\nfreelance Japanese photographer Takagi Tadatomo from the troubled
\nprovince for violating an Aceh martial law administrator decree
\nthat limits foreigners from entering Aceh.<\/p>\n
Tadatomo, who was arrested in Aceh early Friday morning, had
\nbeen grilled by the Bireuen Police since his arrest, and was
\ntransferred to Lhokseumawe immigration office later in the day.<\/p>\n
After a brief investigation by immigration officers, it was
\ndeclared that Tadatomo had not violated any immigration
\nregulations.<\/p>\n
\"However, he must leave Aceh as he does not possess a permit
\nto enter Aceh issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the
\nAceh martial law administrator,\" Misli, a local immigration
\nofficer, said.<\/p>\n
Tadatomo was then transported to Polonia Airport in Medan in
\nthe neighboring province of North Sumatra, where he was scheduled
\nto meet with the Japanese consul in Medan. He was accompanied by
\nLhokseumawe immigration chief Deddy Oesmanda.<\/p>\n
\"Takagi is free to travel around Indonesia, except for Aceh,\"
\nMisli added.<\/p>\n
The 25-year-old Tadatomo was arrested while taking pictures of
\nrefugees in a camp in Bireuen regency.<\/p>\n
The authorities have also detained U.S. journalist William
\nNessen, who surrendered to the military on Tuesday after spending
\nmore than one month with GAM rebels.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/military-arrests-wives-of-gam-suspects-1447893297",
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