Activist Farid Faqih went on trial

ACEH BESAR: The trial of anticorruption activist Farid Faqih, who is accused of attempting to steal aid destined for tsunami victims, began in Aceh on Tuesday.

Proceedings at the Jantho Court, Aceh Besar, about 50 km south of Banda Aceh, started at noon with prosecutors reading an indictment.

"The defendant Farid Faqih took humanitarian relief aid for victims of the earthquake and tsunami without asking the owners of the aid permission or the officers in charge at the airport, with the defendant having full knowledge the aid was not his," prosecutor Nur Alba said.

According to military police sources, the aid arrived by plane at the Iskandar Muda Air Base in the Blang Bintang area just outside of Banda Aceh in January. The donations came from the military officers' wives association and were logged in and received by a military officer, Capt. T. Syuib Mahmud.

After checking the aid containers on the tarmac, Syuib reported their arrival to the TNI's operational command. After handing over the manifest, he went back to the tarmac, but the containers had gone.

Syuib later discovered the supplies had been loaded onto two trucks and taken to a warehouse and became outraged. After an argument, he attacked Farid. Syuib was later sentenced to three months jail for assault.

Prosecutors said Farid, the coordinator of Government Watch (GOWA) a non-governmental anticorruption watchdog, had planned to steal the aid and had violated article 363 and 362 of the Criminal Code. If convicted, he could be imprisoned for up to seven years. -- JP