GAM frees 18 hostages

GAM frees 18 hostages

Nani Farida, The Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh

The Free Aceh Movement (GAM) has freed the 18 people it abducted
late last month after they proved to be civilians and not
involved in any military operations in the troubled province.

The kidnap victims were freed on Thursday through the
mediation of Tengku H. Imam Suja, a noted Islamic leader in East
Aceh, and another person, Aliamin.

They were immediately taken to Medan, the capital of
neighboring North Sumatra province.

A reliable source, who declined to reveal his identity, told
The Jakarta Post on Friday that the hostages were released after
members of their families paid unspecified amounts of ransom
money to the GAM leadership.

Ishak Daud, GAM spokesman for Peurelak, East Aceh, told the
Post that the freed kidnap victims were nine athletes and nine
Exxon Mobil employees.

He also said that the 18 civilians were abducted by GAM's
intelligence unit.

"That is why (the kidnapping) has not been publicized," Daud
said.

The nine Exxon Mobil employees were seized last Sunday from a
vessel heading for an oil exploration field off North Aceh, while
the nine athletes were abducted on their way to Singkil, East
Aceh, after participating in the Aceh Games at the provincial
capital, Banda Aceh.

GAM had earlier denied the allegations.

The release came just one day after President Megawati
Soekarnoputri instructed Aceh Military Commander Maj. Gen. Djali
Yusuf to crush the separatist movement, which has been fighting
for independence since the 1970s.