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)