Local police chief killed in gunfight with GAM rebels in Aceh
Local police chief killed in gunfight with GAM rebels in Aceh
BANDA ACEH, Aceh (JP): Krueng Sabee Police subprecinct chief
First Insp. Syukri was killed in a gunfight between a police
patrol and two armed rebels on Thursday in Curiek village of Aceh
Barat in the troubled province, an officer said.
Chief of the Aceh Police's Cinta Meunasah Special Operation,
Sr. Supt. Kusbini Imbar, told reporters that the latest incident
in the Krueng Sabee district also killed one of the rebels from
the Free Aceh Movement (GAM).
"Officer Syukri was conducting a routine patrol in the village
along with some other personnel that afternoon when the two
rebels suddenly showered them with gunfire," Kusbini said.
The other GAM member managed to escape from the scene shortly
after the arrival of a group of Mobile Brigade police personnel.
On the previous day, two armed rebels -- riding on a
motorcycle -- shot dead an Uram Jalan subdistrict chief in the
Banda Alam area of East Aceh.
East Aceh Police precinct chief Supt. Abdullah Hayati said on
Thursday the motive behind the killing remained unclear.
While in North Aceh, a police patrol has found GAM documents
and uniforms hidden in a health center in Meunasah Tutong
village, Tanah Luas district on Wednesday.
North Aceh Police Precinct Supt. Abadan Bangko said the
finding was made when the police patrol became suspicious of a
parked motorcycle in front of the health center when nobody had
been seen in the area.
"They searched the health center and found GAM documents and
uniforms," he said, but did not give details of the content of
the documents.
The police also found a dozen Indonesian flags, which the
police assumed had been seized by GAM members from local
residents before the country's Aug. 17 Independence Day.
In a separate development, the Medan District Court on
Thursday staged a trial on three alleged GAM members for illegal
gun possession.
The three, identified as Syaifuddin Bin Asbil, 30, Bahrudin
Bin Jafar, 23, and Syahrul Bin Idris, 23, were charged with Civil
Emergency Law No. 12/1951 and Criminal Code Law Article 55 which
carries a maximum sentence of death penalty.
Bahrudin reportedly was alleged to be a GAM commander in East
Aceh. He was arrested along with other Syaifuddin and Syahrul in
Jengki village, Peurelak East Aceh during a military raid on June
10. Authorities seized an FN-47 pistol and several rounds of
bullets as evidence.
According to Judge N.K. Situmorang, the defendants were
brought to Medan due to security reasons.
"They are being tried here since the security condition in
Aceh is not conducive for a court session to take place,"
Situmorang said.
Defendant Syahrul who was accompanied by his defense lawyers,
however, denied all the charges, saying that the case has been
exaggerated.
The court is adjourned until next week to hear further
testimonies. (39/edt/50/lup)