JP/5/SEMMY

JP/5/SEMMY

Top Ambon separatist named treason suspect

M. Azis Tunny
The Jakarta Post/Ambon

Alleged separatist Semmy Waeleruny was arrested on Friday on
treason charges, only a day after arriving in Ambon from Jakarta.

"We have named him a suspect because there is enough evidence
suggesting that he has been involved in subversive activities,"
said Ambon and Lease Islands Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Leonidas
Braksan.

Semmy, an alleged executive of the Maluku Sovereignty Front
(FKM), was detained by police upon his arrival at the Ambon
airport on Thursday morning. Officers took the suspect to police
headquarters, where Semmy was questioned until Friday.

Police searched Semmy's house in Ambon after the arrest and
uncovered documents allegedly linking him to the separatist group
FKM, which has for years sought to establish an independent South
Maluku Republic (RMS).

Among the documents reportedly seized from the suspect's house
was a speech written by self-exiled FKM leader Alex Manuputty,
which was supposed to be distributed to FKM members during the
54th anniversary of the self-proclaimed RMS on April 25 last
year. Other uncovered documents included a thesis arguing that
RMS is a legal state, an RMS proclamation and several pictures on
FKM's activities.

Police also found an SMS on Semmy's cellular phone that had
been sent to alleged FKM member Izack Sapulette, stating that
Semmy would lead a flag-raising ceremony to commemorate the 55th
anniversary of the self-proclaimed RMS on April 25.

In the SMS, Semmy, who was in Jakarta at the time the message
was sent, also told Izack, who was in Ambon, that the anniversary
celebration should be delayed if it was impossible to hold on
April 25.

"In the SMS, Semmy asked Izack to invite foreign journalists
to cover the RMS anniversary celebration," said Leonidas.

Another SMS reportedly revealed that Semmy led an FKM meeting
in Makassar on April 13. In the meeting, Semmy told Izack to
prepare three locations in Ambon where FKM members could
celebrate the RMS anniversary.

Izack is reportedly a bodyguard for Holly Manuputty, the wife
of Alex Manuputty, who is currently living in the U.S. Izack was
arrested in Ambon last week on charges of subversive activity.

He was one of some 50 suspected FKM members arrested for
subversion since early this year.

Semmy's wife, Else Titaley, denied her husband was guilty of
treason.

She said the documents found by police in her house on
Thursday were old documents that Semmy already had been jailed
for, and had nothing to do with the criminal charge that Semmy
was involved in the RMS anniversary celebration this year.

Two years ago, Semmy, along with Alex Manuputty, was sentenced
to three years in prison by a Jakarta court for treason.

Semmy was recently released after receiving a sentence
reduction. According to Else, Semmy returned to Ambon on Thursday
to visit his three daughters.