GAM rebel caught in Bandung

BANDUNG: An Acehnese student, identified as Mohammad bin Mohammad Toyib, has been arrested for allegedly serving as an adjutant to the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) finance minister.

Police nabbed Mohammad, a student of Banda Aceh-based state Ar-Raniry Islamic Institute, at the Aceh student dormitory on Jl. Cicendo, Bandung, on Monday.

West Bandung Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Edi Mulyono said on Tuesday the arrest followed an intelligence report that put Toyib, who is an activist with the Aceh Referendum Information Center (SIRA), on the police wanted list.

"We watched over him for days before the arrest," Mulyono said.

Police had earlier arrested Teungku Muhammad Lampoh Awe, who claimed to be the GAM finance minister.

Toyib told police investigators he left the Aceh capital, Banda Aceh, on Oct. 20, 2003, for Jakarta to escape the military and police hunt. He moved to Bandung on Feb. 12, 2004, for safety reasons.

The arrest of Toyib has raised fear among other Acehnese students in the dormitory as plainclothes police officers and intelligence officers were often seen hanging around in front of the dormitory. --JP