Kostrad chief orders hunt of missing Sudjono

BANDUNG (JP): Army Strategic Reserves Command (Kostrad) Commander Lt. Gen. Agus Wirahadikusumah said on Tuesday that he has ordered two of his intelligence officers to locate the missing Lt. Col. Sudjono, or else they will have to resign.

"I have ordered the assistant of intelligence in Kostrad and intelligence chief (in Aceh) to find Sudjono as the key person to the Aceh case. If they fail to do so, they might as well resign from their posts," Agus said.

Sudjono, a key suspect and witness in the murder of religious Islamic teacher Bantaqiah and no less than 57 of his students, was then the army intelligence chief in Lilawangsa Military Command overseeing strife-torn Aceh.

The officer has been missing since November. Many have suspected his disappearance is part of the effort to seal the involvement of military top brass.

The trial of the Bantaqiah case in Banda Aceh district court will enter its crucial stage on Wednesday when the panel of judges issue a temporary verdict for 25 defendants who comprise 24 military soldiers, mostly Kostrad personnel, and a civilian.

"Basically the soldiers can do no wrong. It is the commanders who have to be held accountable. Therefore I ordered a thorough search for Sudjono," Agus said.

The defendants are charged with premeditated murder, a crime which carries a maximum death sentence.

Agus also asserted that Kostrad is ready to be held responsible in the mass killings if his troops are found guilty.

"As Kostrad commander I'll fight to defend my soldiers. But I will comply with whatever the court decides," he said.

"If they we are found guilty, I will apologize to the Aceh people and help the families of the victims," he said.

Agus also expressed his guarded optimism that violence in Aceh and other troubled territories in the country will be soon over.

In Banda Aceh, provincial authorities and councillors urged the warring parties to put an end to the violence that has claimed at least 300 lives this year.

The recommendation was made in the closing of a two day provincial coordination meeting which ended on Monday.

"We believe that all parties must exercise restraint and that violence and acts of revenge will not help settle the problems. We also support the planned Aceh People's Congress (KRA) which is aimed at speeding up the peace process and restoration of order in Aceh," Governor Syamsuddin Mahmud told the meeting participants.

In restive Pidie, security forces reportedly launched an operation to capture Aceh Free Movement (GAM) rebel leader Tengku Abdullah Syafi'ie. Details of the operation, however, were not available.

In Aceh Besar, two police officers, Sgt. Major Adlim and Second Sgt. Faisal were shot dead by an armed gang in separate locations on Tuesday morning, spokesman for the anti-rebel operation Sadar Rencong Col. Safri D.M. said.

Earlier in the day at around 00:05 a.m. an unidentified armed group threw grenades at the Jambo Aye military subdistrict in North Aceh, leaving 12 officers injured, Lt. Col. Syafei Aksal said.

All the military personnel were rushed to Lilawangsa Military Hospital. The press is banned from entering the hospital.

At about the same time, bomb attacks pounded six places in the compound of Exxon-Oil company between Tanah Luas district and Matangkuli district in North Aceh.

No fatalities reported in the incidents. (25/50/51/edt)