Maluku separatist sent to jail

AMBON, Maluku: Maluku Police arrested local separatist leader Samuel Waeleruny on Monday and sent him to Jakarta to serve his three-year jail term.

"Based on a request from the Maluku Prosecutor's Office, we went to his (Samuel's) house this morning and ordered him to serve his prison term in Jakarta," Maluku Police detectives' chief Sr. Comr. Usman Nasution said.

Police said the arrest was made after the convicted leader of the separatist Maluku Sovereignty Front (FKM) defied two summonses from prosecutors.

"We had summoned him twice, but he refused to respond. Therefore, we sent the police to his house in Pulo Gangsa, Batumerah, in the Sirimau area, and placed him under detention before we transport him to Jakarta," Maluku Prosecutor's Office head Masri Djanin said.

Samuel, better known as Semmy, was sentenced to three years in prison by the North Jakarta District Court along with top FKM leader Alex Manuputty for plotting rebellion.

The sentence was upheld by the Jakarta high court. The Supreme Court later rejected the appeals filed by the two.

However, the courts did not order them to serve their prison terms immediately, which Alex availed of to travel to the United States. --JP

;JP;NFK; ANPAa..r.. Across-ETimor-asylum-mmigration E. Timorese asylum seekers deported JP/5/

E. Timorese asylum seekers deported

ATAMBUA, East Nusa Tenggara: The authorities deported 26 East Timorese asylum seekers from East Nusa Tenggara province on Monday.

Atambua immigration office head Slamet Santoso said the deportations were in line with the prevailing laws and legal procedures, and the East Timorese government's stated readiness to accept the return of the asylum seekers.

"We have coordinated with the East Timor government in this issue and they have promised to guarantee their security and safety," he added.

The 26 asylum seekers appeared to be extremely disappointed and some of them burst their tears when being handed over to the East Timorese officers who picked them up at a security post in the Motaain border post.

"We don't want to return home. It would be better to be shot dead here," Antonio, 40, one of the asylum seekers, cried out.

The 26 East Timorese citizens crossed the border into neighboring East Nusa Tenggara last month to seek asylum from the Indonesian government, alleging security threats in their homeland. --JP