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.