GAM confirms guerrillas holding `RCTI' crew hostage

GAM confirms guerrillas holding `RCTI' crew hostage

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Free Aceh Movement (GAM) revealed on Thursday that it had
taken an RCTI journalist and cameraman who have been missing for
four days and spelled out that their release along with three
other Acehnese would depend on the development of the military
offensive in the restive province.

GAM spokesman in East Aceh Tengku Mansur told The Jakarta Post
by telephone on Thursday that Erza Siregar, a senior journalist
of the private TV station and its cameraman Ferry Santoro were
"healthy and unharmed".

"Yes, both Erza and his team are currently with us. Thank God
that they are healthy and unharmed. We are now holding five
people, besides the RCTI journalist and cameraman, there are also
a driver and two other local guides.

"We arrested them when they were on their way from Langsa (in
East Aceh) to (the provincial capital of) Banda Aceh. Now they
are with us here in our camp in the Peureulak area," said Mansur.

GAM rebels intercepted RCTI's Kijang minivan because "the
local military and police frequently used press attributes
(logos) in their intelligence operation," Mansur said without
elaborating.

Mansur also said that they had received confirmation that the
two local guides were wives of two Air Force soldiers in East
Aceh, but guaranteed that "we are not going to harm them either".

Asked to comment on rumors that GAM had already demanded a
high ransom for the captives release, Mansur said: "No, it's not
true. We have never asked for compensation for the release of the
TV crew members and the three others. But we have not decided
whether or not to release them... Their release will depend on
developments in the military operation here."

Meanwhile, spokesman for the Aceh military operation Lt. Col.
A. Yani Basuki said that the military operation headquarters in
Lhokseumawe, North Aceh, had not received information that the
two local guides were the wives of Air Force personnel.

He said the intelligence unit at the headquarters was still
seeking information on the abduction and on the two local guides.

"Up to now, we do not know whether GAM's claim about the two
local guides is true or not. We are still seeking information,"
he told the Post.

Yani denied GAM's allegation that intelligence officers have
been using press vehicles in their intelligence work.

Yani also said that the military was also waiting to see
whether Erza and his team had the courage to inform them of their
current position so that "we can help release them".

"Just like the case of (William) Nessen who finally informed
us of his position, Erza and his team may be freed if they inform
us of their position," he said.

Nessen, an American journalist who was stranded in a GAM
stronghold in Nissam, North Aceh, was picked up by the military
after he finally made contact with the local military.

The Aceh martial law administration is pressing charges
against Nessen for visa violations.

On Thursday afternoon, Imam Wahjudi, a senior journalist with
RCTI, said that he made telephone contact with Erza for three
minutes.

Iman said, as was broadcasted by RCTI on Thursday, that Erza
admitted he was fine and in good health.

Imam quoted Erza as saying that he was summoned by GAM and he
and his cameraman were detained because they were traveling with
two local women.

Mansur asserted that the two guides were suspected of spying
for the military.

In the sixth week of the military operation, seven rebels and
one soldier were killed in two separate gunfights in North Aceh
early on Thursday.

The first gun contact occurred in Alue Mudik village, Sawang
district, North Aceh on Thursday, killing five rebels and one
Army soldier and injuring another Army personnel. The second
gunfight happened in Nissam district where two rebels were shot
dead and several rifles were confiscated from the rebels.

Another gunfight also occurred in Pulo Loh village in Pidie
regency, killing a rebel who was a personal adjutant to GAM
spokesman Sofyan Dawood.

In East Aceh, 21 more rebels surrendered voluntarily to the
military. They will undergo intensive interrogation before being
released.