GAM rebel caught in Bandung

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