Security tightened ahead of Independence Day<\/p>\n
Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak and Nani Farida, The Jakarta Post,
\nLhokseumawe\/Banda Aceh<\/p>\n
Home-made bombs have been found in war-torn Aceh as the martial
\nlaw administration heightens security prior to the celebration of
\nIndependence Day, which falls on Aug. 17.<\/p>\n
The military said the explosives were prepared by the
\ninsurgent Free Aceh Movement (GAM) to be used during the national
\ncommemoration.<\/p>\n
The latest bomb was found on Tuesday at a bunker in Paloh
\nMeria village, Lhokseumawe.<\/p>\n
Troops from the 121th Infantry Battalion uncovered the bomb
\nwhich weighed about 10 kilograms.<\/p>\n
The spokesman for the Aceh military operation, Lt. Col. Ahmad
\nYani Basuki, said a man arrested on Monday, in connection with
\nthe murder of community figure Tengku Zainudin Banda, had led the
\ntroops to the bunker.<\/p>\n
According to military investigators, the suspected GAM member
\nadmitted that the bombs were planned to be detonated on Aug. 17.<\/p>\n
Yani said that GAM could take advantage of the momentum of the
\nIndependence Day celebrations.<\/p>\n
\"The residents are enthusiastic about celebrating the national
\nday in their neighborhood and this fact is certainly unpleasant
\nto GAM,\" Yani said.<\/p>\n
\"We have heightened security in several locations which we
\nconsider prone to such attacks.\"<\/p>\n
Shortly after the discovery of the bunker, the military
\narrested Heru Abbas alias Boboho, a suspected GAM member who
\nleads a group of seven-armed-men.<\/p>\n
Heru admitted that they had hidden their guns in a salt pond
\nclose to the coast, but after searching until late in the
\nafternoon, the troops found nothing.<\/p>\n
Also that same day, the Army's Special Force troops shot six
\nalleged GAM members, in an attack on the rebel stronghold in the
\nPeusangan district. A resident, whose identity has yet to be
\nrevealed, was arrested following the onslaught.<\/p>\n
Four of the suspected rebels were shot in Pulo Blang village,
\none in Pulo U village and the other one in Meunasah Geudong
\nvillage.<\/p>\n
All of the GAM members were shot in the head and all were
\nunder the age of 30.<\/p>\n
The assault was backed by the Army's Strategic Reserve Command
\ntroops who blockaded the area with two tanks, forcing residents
\nto stay at home.<\/p>\n
Pulo U resident Saidah, 60, said the operation started at dawn
\nand residents didn't dare to go to the market, to work or to
\nschool.<\/p>\n
A junior-high school student Fitri said her teachers canceled
\nclasses.<\/p>\n
The village has been suffering from electricity blackouts at
\nnight for the last two months.<\/p>\n
In Banda Aceh, one of five former GAM negotiators Tengku
\nKamaruzzaman denied accusations that he was a member of the
\nseparatist group, saying he had never registered with the
\norganization.<\/p>\n
\"I am the son of this nation. GAM has entrusted and appointed
\nme to be a negotiator in peace talks with the government,\"
\nKamaruzzaman told the Banda Aceh District Court.<\/p>\n
In the trial, presided over by judge Maratua Rambe,
\nKamaruzzaman was accompanied by his lawyers, Rufriadi, Ratna Dewi
\nand Sarifah Murlina.<\/p>\n
Prosecutor Ohari Pujo accused Kamaruzzaman of being a GAM
\nmember, or at least of knowing that the group was planning to
\nattack the government and wanted to separate from the republic.<\/p>\n
Kamaruzzaman also denied charges that he had donated funds to
\nGAM.<\/p>\n
Five former GAM mediators are standing trial on charges of
\ntreason and terrorism.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/security-tightened-ahead-of-independence-day-1447893297",
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