GAM releases Aceh community leaders

BANDA ACEH, Aceh (JP): After being held hostage by Free Aceh Movement (GAM) members for 22 hours, four community leaders and one driver were released unharmed on Sunday.

GAM confirmed the release on Monday, but strongly denied having kidnapped the people, Antara reported on Monday.

"It was just a silaturahmi (friendly meeting), as one of the five was the former teacher of a local GAM leader," GAM's Meurahom Daya spokesman Abu Tausi said.

"They returned to their families on Sunday," Abu Tausi was quoted as saying by a Banda Aceh-based daily.

The five men were identified as Tengku M. Daud Alsufi, head of Pabusakah Islamic boarding school in South Aceh and also the chairman of South Aceh's Ulemas Advisory Council (MPU); Jajuli Al Jaelani, head of Wadatul Sakdah Islamic boarding school in South Aceh; Tengku Muhammad Yunus Toyibi, a South Aceh legislator and deputy chief of the MPU; Tengku Muchlisin bin T.M. Daud Al Subi; and Agusman, a civil servant working for the Land Transportation Agency.

The five were traveling home in a Kijang van, driven by Agusman, after attending the ceremony welcoming President Megawati Soekarnoputri in Banda Aceh on Saturday, when a group of armed people intercepted the van in the area of Krueng Sabee, West Aceh.

They have now returned to their respective homes in the area of Kota Fajar, almost 500 kilometers south of Banda Aceh.

They shared their experience with reporters, but requested anonymity for security reasons.

"After our car was stopped, we were searched and then taken to a place about 18 kilometers away. They asked us many things, including about the meeting with Megawati. In general we were treated well. They gave us food and drink," one of them said.

None of the men would reveal where they were taken or who they met during the abduction.

"At about 5 p.m. on Sunday, they took us in a pickup to the highway and allowed us to take public transport to Meulaboh. Yes, they 'borrowed' our Kijang," one of the five said, referring to the van belonging to the Civil Servants' Wives' Association (Dharma Wanita) of the South Aceh regency, which was taken by the GAM members.

After arriving home they were emotionally greeted by their families, who had reported their disappearance to local police.

Spokesman for the Law and Order Operation Comr. Sudarsono told reporters in Banda Aceh, that the police had yet to receive reports on the release of the five people. (50/edt/sur)