Court opens terror trials in Medan

Court opens terror trials in Medan

Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Medan, North Sumatra

The trials of 11 Acehnese separatists charged with committing
acts of terror over the past year started on Monday in Medan,
North Sumatra, amid tight security.

Police deployed 100 armed personnel to secure the trials at
the Medan District Court, where visitors had to undergo security
checks prior to entering the building.

The 11 defendants, including Manaf Abdi, the Free Aceh
Movement (GAM) commander overseeing Medan and Deli in North
Sumatra, are being tried in three separate trials.

Others on trial include Manaf's deputy Muhammad Yahya alias
Abu Teming, local GAM treasurer Mustafa Halim alias Cik Lim,
fund-raiser Tengku Zainal alias Ismail, and intelligence members
Abdullah Sulaiman alias Daulay, Ridwan alias M. Yusuf, and Anwar
Adam.

Also standing trial are GAM members Cut Syarifah, Musliadi, T.
Johan, Said Azhar and Masrul alias Nasrul.

The trials started at around 10 a.m. with the team of
prosecutors, led by Mardiana Sianturi, reading out the charges
against the defendants.

Manaf Abdi said he was an Indonesian citizen when asked by
presiding judge Abis Saleh Mendrova about his citizenship.

The prosecutors said Manaf should be held responsible for
explosions at the Medan mayor's office, a gas pipeline belonging
to state oil company Pertamina in Belawan regency and the ASEAN
International Hotel.

The terror attacks were launched upon the orders of Manaf,
they stated.

Manaf and five other defendants -- Ridwan, Anwar Adam, Johan,
Masrul, Cut Syarifah and Musliadi -- could face the death penalty
if found guilty.

They are charged with violating Article 1 of Law No. 15/2003
on terrorism for their alleged roles in the bombings of the Medan
mayor's office on March 31, 2003, and of the Pertamina pipeline
on April 1, 2003.

The remaining five defendants -- Mustafa Halim, Tengku Zainal,
Abdullah Sulaiman, Muhammad Yahya and Musliadi -- are accused of
being responsible for a grenade explosion at the ASEAN
International Hotel on Aug. 17, 2001.

They could be jailed for up to 15 years on charges of
breaching Article 187 of the Criminal Code.

Musliadi has been charged with detonating the grenade and
harboring a suspect, Said Azhar, in the blasts at the Medan
mayor's office and the Pertamina pipeline.

The prosecutors said Musliadi had received Rp 300,000 (US$35)
from Manaf to hide Azhar and a Rp 500,000 payment for hurling the
grenade.

They said the terror attacks in Medan cost around Rp 43
million, which they claim was handed to North Sumatra GAM
treasurer Mustafa Halim by Manaf.

The trials were adjourned until Thursday to hear witness
testimonies.