17 Aceh inmates in jail break

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