Swedish team moves inquiry to Medan<\/p>\n
Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Medan, North Sumatra<\/p>\n
Swedish prosecutors continued their investigations into the
\nalleged crimes of Free Aceh Movement (GAM) leaders in exile, by
\ninterviewing rebels serving jail terms in the Tanjung Gusta
\npenitentiary here on Friday.<\/p>\n
The team had earlier conducted a two-day investigation in the
\nneighboring war-torn province of Aceh.<\/p>\n
Led by Stockholm's District chief prosecutor Thomas
\nLindstrand, the team interviewed 37 GAM prisoners in Medan,
\nincluding GAM commander overseeing the Deli-Medan area Manaf Abdi
\nalias Abu Hendon. All the prisoners were questioned at the North
\nSumatra police headquarters.<\/p>\n
Manaf was accused of perpetrating bomb attacks at the compound
\nof the Medan mayor's office, the oil pipeline belonging to state
\noil and gas company Pertamina in North Sumatra's town of Belawan
\nand the Asean International Hotel on Jl. Adam Malik. All of the
\ncrimes took place last year.<\/p>\n
He has been sentenced to 10 years in jail.<\/p>\n
Sr. Comr. Sayed Hoesainy, chief of law enforcement operation
\ntask force Tegak Rencong-II in Aceh, said the team questioned
\nManaf to collect more data on terrorism allegedly committed with
\nthe consent and help of GAM leaders in Sweden, including Hassan
\nTiro -- an Acehnese who declared the independence of his oil-rich
\nterritory in 1976.<\/p>\n
Several officials from related ministries -- the Attorney
\nGeneral's Office, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of
\nJustice and Human Rights, and personnel from the National Police
\nheadquarters -- assisted the team during the investigation in
\nboth Banda Aceh and Medan.<\/p>\n
Before interviewing the prisoners, the team held a closed-door
\nmeeting with high-ranking police officers, but none of the two
\nparties were willing to speak to the press regarding the
\ninvestigation.<\/p>\n
North Sumatra Police chief of detectives Sr. Comr. Satria Hari
\nPrasetya, said police had only facilitated the investigation.<\/p>\n
\"They (the prosecutors) come here to collect data and
\ninformation about a series of terror activities committed by GAM,
\nand we are ready to assist them,\" Satria said.<\/p>\n
Earlier, the team interviewed GAM prisoners serving prison
\nterms in Banda Aceh, including GAM negotiator Sofyan Ibrahim Tiba
\nand the movement's finance ministry Usman Lampoh Awe.<\/p>\n
They also visited the Aceh Besar regency to see dozens of
\nburned schools that currently are being renovated by the local
\nadministration.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Military (TNI) blames GAM for the arson.<\/p>\n
On Saturday, the prosecutors will question a woman held
\nhostage by GAM for seven months, at the National Police
\nHeadquarters in Jakarta. They will then hold a media conference
\non Sunday before flying back to Sweden.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/swedish-team-moves-inquiry-to-medan-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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