Military arrests wives of GAM suspects

Military arrests wives of GAM suspects

A'an Suryana
The Jakarta Post
Lhokseumawe, Aceh

The Indonesian Military (TNI) is trying all means at its disposal
to locate and capture Free Aceh Movement (GAM) rebels, including
arresting the wives of suspected separatists.

The wives of eight alleged GAM rebels spent 24 hours at the
Central Aceh Military Headquarters for questioning before they
were released on Saturday.

Maj. Indra Nasution, chief of the Airborne Battalion operating
in the regency, said the women were arrested in Permata district
while they were returning to their respective villages from a
refugee camp.

Indra said one of the women was the wife of Muzakkir ben Abdul
Manaf, the commander of GAM's armed wing.

"She is the fourth wife of Muzakkir," said Indra.

Six of the women have been identified as Yurnidan, the wife of
Rasidin; Samiah, the wife of Muda Sedang; Nuraini, the wife of
Syamsul; Latifah, the wife of Awaludin; Ratifah, the wife of
Aregan; and Anisah, the wife of Abdurrahman.

The seventh is Muzakkir's fourth wife. Indra refused to
disclose the identity of the eighth wife.

He declined to provide details of the substance of the
questioning.

"We are still looking for their husbands," Indra said.

During the questioning, the women claimed they knew nothing
about the separatist group. They also told the military officers
they had never take up arms against government troops.

Earlier on Saturday, military personnel shot dead a suspected
GAM member in the swampy Alu Dua area in Nisam district, North
Aceh.

The soldiers also found several documents and other property
they said belonged to GAM members in the area.

First. Sgt. Mudji Utama said some 15 TNI troops under his
command went to the area in the wee hours on Saturday after
receiving a tip-off from local residents about the presence of
GAM members there.

The soldiers were preparing an ambush when five suspected
rebels, each carrying a rifle, approached on three motorcycles
heading toward nearby Semirah district.

"There was a gunfight, and one was shot dead but the others
got away," Mudji told The Jakarta Post.

The troops seized ammunition, a small machete bearing "TNA"
(GAM National Army), a photo album depicting GAM military
training, two green berets with the Atjeh-Sumatra National
Liberation Front logo, a large GAM flag, several GAM badges and
several green military-type uniforms.

The troops also found several documents that spelled out the
command structure of GAM and GAM laws. The documents were signed
by Muzakkir Manaf.

In Lhokseumawe, military authorities expelled on Saturday
freelance Japanese photographer Takagi Tadatomo from the troubled
province for violating an Aceh martial law administrator decree
that limits foreigners from entering Aceh.

Tadatomo, who was arrested in Aceh early Friday morning, had
been grilled by the Bireuen Police since his arrest, and was
transferred to Lhokseumawe immigration office later in the day.

After a brief investigation by immigration officers, it was
declared that Tadatomo had not violated any immigration
regulations.

"However, he must leave Aceh as he does not possess a permit
to enter Aceh issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the
Aceh martial law administrator," Misli, a local immigration
officer, said.

Tadatomo was then transported to Polonia Airport in Medan in
the neighboring province of North Sumatra, where he was scheduled
to meet with the Japanese consul in Medan. He was accompanied by
Lhokseumawe immigration chief Deddy Oesmanda.

"Takagi is free to travel around Indonesia, except for Aceh,"
Misli added.

The 25-year-old Tadatomo was arrested while taking pictures of
refugees in a camp in Bireuen regency.

The authorities have also detained U.S. journalist William
Nessen, who surrendered to the military on Tuesday after spending
more than one month with GAM rebels.