17 Aceh inmates in jail break

BANDA ACEH, Aceh: Lax security meant 17 inmates in Aceh Besar Prison escaped from their cells at dawn on Tuesday, the third escape from the jail this year.

Jantho Prison Warden Abdullah Arja said the inmates punched through the prison's roof and scaled the prison's wall with the help of a rope.

All were in prison for common crimes and none were former members of the rebel Free Aceh Movement (GAM).

Abdullah said that out of the 17 inmates, 13 had been convicted while the remaining four were awaiting trial.

Only a few prison guards were on duty when the jail break occurred.

The escape was the third this year. Early in July, five inmates escaped the prison in two separate occassions. They are still at large. -- JP