Aceh rebels arrested in Kupang

Aceh rebels arrested in Kupang

Police officers in East Nusa Tenggara province have arrested
20 of 25 alleged Free Aceh Movement (GAM) members trying to sneak
into East Timor, Belu regent Marsel Bere said on Monday.

"I was informed by the police that 20 of 25 alleged GAM
members were arrested in Kupang, while the remaining five are
still at large," Marsel told The Jakarta Post by phone from his
office on Monday.

The police however, had failed to seize any evidence to prove
that they were involved in the drug trade as previously alleged,
Marsel said.

East Nusa Tenggara's Wirasakti Military Command chief. Col.
Moeswarno Moesanip claimed earlier that a total of 25 Acehnese in
West Timor were selling drugs in the area to buy weapons and
finance the struggle for independence in Aceh.

He also claimed that the 25 Acehnese were possibly on their
way to East Timor, to study how the East Timorese achieved their
independence from Indonesia.

East Timor separated from Indonesia in 1999 through a United
Nations-sponsored referendum, 23 years after it was integrated
into Indonesia in 1976. -- JP