GAM deputy chief charged with weapons possession
MEDAN, North Sumatra (JP): The Medan District Court, under heavy security, began on Thursday the trial of Ligadinsyah, alias Azis bin Ibrahim Linggo, believed to be the deputy commander of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) for the Central Aceh area.
In the 35-minute proceedings, prosecutor Nasril N. said that Ligadinsyah, along with the Central Aceh GAM commander Ilham I. Leube, carried out subversive actions, aimed at separating Aceh from the Republic of Indonesia, Antara reported.
"The defendant made speeches in Silih Nara district, became a military instructor for members of the separatist group, and told his members to raise funds for their operations in Central Aceh regency," Nasril said in the indictment.
The prosecutor charged Ligadinsyah under Emergency Law No. 12/1951 on the illegal ownership of weapons and explosives, which carries a minimum punishment of 20 years imprisonment and a maximum penalty of death.
Ligadinsyah, believed to have 14 followers, was arrested in Medan on Jan. 9, when he bought a remote control device, to be used as a controller for explosives.
The prosecutor also said that the defendant owned two AK-47 rifles, three Beretta pistols, two M-16 rifles, one SS-1, four Colt pistols, an FN pistol, and five grenades.
"All the weapons and explosives were obtained from his commander Ilyas I Luebe," Nasril said in his seven-page indictment.
In Thursday's trial, the defendant was not accompanied by his lawyers from Aceh as the latter had not been notified beforehand.
Refugee
Separately in West Aceh, some 3,150 migrant settlers in Alue Panjang village in Kawai district left their houses and took refuge in government buildings in the district on late Wednesday, for fear of sudden arson attacks after what happened in their neighboring village.
Local administrative secretary for West Aceh regency Nyak Ali Umar confirmed the incident and said that local government was trying to assure the migrants that their security was guaranteed.
Meanwhile in Meulaboh II, some 30 kilometers from Meulaboh, the capital city of West Aceh regency, an army soldier and two civilians were killed in a fierce gunfight.
Chief of the West Aceh Regional Military Command Col. Endang Suwarya confirmed the clash and said the incident took place when patrolling army personnel were suddenly attacked by an armed group late on Tuesday.
Endang added that the two unidentified civilians were members of the armed group, suspected to be GAM members.
However, GAM spokesman for West Aceh Abu Juwana said the two civilians victims were not rebels but local residents who had been abducted by Indonesian Military (TNI) personnel during a raid the previous day. (50/emf)