Four GAM members killed in two separate shoot-outs

Four GAM members killed in two separate shoot-outs

BANDA ACEH, Aceh (JP): Security authorities in the restive
province of Aceh shot dead on Sunday four suspected separatist
rebels to further cast a shadow over the recently extended truce.

Chief of the Pidie Police Precinct Supt. Endang Emiqail Bagus
said three of the four men, believed to be members of the Free
Aceh Movement (GAM), were killed while attempting to ambush a
truckload of police patrolling Keumangan village in Mutiara
district.

The other suspect was gunned down while planting a bomb on the
main street of Pangwa village, Meureudu district on the same day,
according to Endang.

"We seized three rifles from them," Endang stated on Sunday.

He said hundreds of soldiers and police officers were deployed
to Keumangan village following the attempted attack.

GAM spokesman in Pidie regency, Abu Razak, confirmed the
clash, but said the armed rebels opened fire in self-defense
after the joint military and police patrol raided their
headquarters.

"Because we were cornered we had to resist the attack. Don't
blame us if we take revenge," Abu said.

He did not comment on the casualties on his side.

Abu said the man killed in Pangwa village was a civilian and
that he was not engaged in planting a bomb.

Pidie was paralyzed on Sunday, with residents preferring to
stay at home. Streets were deserted and markets were closed.

Residents were conducting a fast on the day in compliance with
a call from GAM leader Tengku Abdullah Syafiie.

Some 2,000 Keumangan villagers sought refuge to mosques on
Monday after their four neighbors were arrested by the security
authorities following the overnight fire exchange.

Sunday's other armed clash erupted in Rambong village in South
Aceh when alleged separatist rebels ambushed a convoy which
included local military commander Lt. Col. Purwanto, who was
heading for Blang Pidie from Tapak Tuan district.

Purwanto said that a soldier injured his back during the
skirmish.

At least 75 people -- 65 civilians, eight police officers and
two soldiers -- have been killed in Aceh since the truce took
effect on June 2.

In a related development, a lawyer for the GAM commander in
the South Aceh area of Singkil, M.S. Bin Sulaiman alias Tengku
Diladang, 36, and his follower identified only as Isl bin Ishak,
34, said the two defendants would be transported by a helicopter
from the South Aceh prosecutor's detention center to Pematang
Siantar district court in North Sumatra, where they will go on
trial on Thursday.

Lawyer Maya Manurung told Antara that the trial had been moved
to Aceh's neighboring province of North Sumatra due to security
concerns.

The defendants would be charged with murdering several
residents of the Bukit Hasang transmigration area in Simpang
Kanan recently. The charges carry the death sentence. (50/lup)