Aceh Police grill 20 officers over arson

Aceh Police grill 20 officers over arson

Nani Farida, The Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh

Aceh police detectives are questioning 20 colleagues from the
elite Mobile Brigade (Brimob) for their alleged role in an arson
attack on 80 shophouses in Keude Seuneddon, North Aceh, some 57
kilometers east of Lhokseumawe, last month.

Provincial police chief Insp. Gen. Yusuf Manggabarani said on
Tuesday the 20 officers would be tried at the North Aceh District
Court.

"We have to uphold the law. We are not bluffing; anyone who
violates the law must be punished. We will not only take
civilians to court if they commit crimes, but police officers
too," he said.

Yusuf refused to disclose the identity or rank of the officers
before completion of the investigation.

Dozens of people were injured, a house belonging to a
religious teacher and a Koran recital center were burned down
during the attack on Sept. 14.

The raid occurred a few days after two Brimob officers -- Sec.
Brig. Warsito and Sec. Brig. Yudhi Purba, both from South Sumatra
-- were shot dead at a sidewalk shop by two gunmen on motorcycles
in Keude Seuneddon, North Aceh. The gunmen are believed to be
members of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM), which has been fighting
for independence from Jakarta since 1976.

The gunmen also took Warsito's weapon.

Aceh Police spokesman Comr. Taufik S said while the
preliminary investigation was under way the 20 officers would be
allowed to carry out their duties, but under police control.

"Their commander, however, is already at the Aceh Police
Headquarters to assist with a number of inquiries. We want to
prove to the public whether or not police were involved in the
incident," he told The Jakarta Post.

He refuted allegations that the police had burned down the
buildings out of revenge for the death of their colleagues.

"The officers claimed they were there to douse the fire when
shooting came from the source of the fire. Therefore they stopped
extinguishing the fire in order to seal off the place," he said.

Meanwhile, Nasir, one of the victims, said he saw no GAM
gunmen near the fire. He added it was the officers who had
started to burn the buildings after failing to find GAM gunmen.

"They even warned the marines nearby the scene not to meddle
with police affairs, saying anyone who obstructed them would be
considered a GAM supporter," he said.

The police also raided Ule Titie and Lhok Rambideng villages,
demolishing some buildings.

In another burst of violence, a contractor with American
company ExxonMobil Oil Indonesia, Husaimah, was shot during an
ambush carried out by a group of unidentified gunmen on Tuesday
morning at Meunasah Asan village, Samudera district, North Aceh.

Husaimah was being given a lift by ExxonMobil employee Samsul
Bahri, who survived the attack unhurt. His car was set ablaze by
the attackers.

Separately, an Army soldier, Prv. Marwanto, was killed and his
colleague Prv. Zainal sustained gunshot wounds when they were
ambushed by some 16 gunmen believed to be GAM rebels in Urang
Jalan village in East Aceh on Tuesday.