Military policeman arrested for selling arms to rebels

BANDA ACEH, Aceh (JP): A military police member has been arrested for alleged arm sales to the separatist rebel group GAM, the military chief here said on Wednesday.

Chief of Teuku Umar Military Command Col. Syarifudin Tipe said the suspect, identified as Pvt. Zulkifli, was apprehended in a predawn sweep of weaponry conducted by Police Mobile Brigade personnel in Koala Batea, South Aceh regency.

"Police arrested him because he was carrying a pistol although he was off duty," Syarifudin said, adding that the arresting police officers did not believe his explanation.

Zulkifli was returning to his hometown of Palangka Raya, the capital of Central Kalimantan.

Syarifudin ordered Zulkifli's detention following a report of missing weapons belonging to the local military police on Monday.

During questioning, Zulkifli admitted to stealing six M-16 semiautomatic rifles and two FN pistols, which he sold to GAM members for Rp 80 million. A check of Zulkifli's bank account confirmed the transaction.

"The suspect could face the death sentence for selling weapons to an enemy of the state," Syarifudin said.

GAM spokesman Ismail Syahputra said in Lhokseumawe that he did not know whether the organization bought weapons from Zulkifli. But he admitted that there were some arm purchases from military personnel in Aceh and Jakarta, as well as foreign dealers.

Violence continued to rock the restive province on Wednesday.

The office of Aceh Jeumpa district was burned down by an unidentified group at around 4 a.m. on Wednesday. All documents were destroyed in the fire as fire engines only arrived three hours later.

Three incidents involving unidentified armed civilians occurred in the last two days in northern and central Aceh, claiming two lives.

Sulaiman, 35 and Simin, 48, whom local residents knew as military informers, were found dead in Bukit district, Central Aceh. Witnesses said the two men were abducted on Monday night by four unidentified men.

Also on Tuesday, a group of armed masked men broke into the local post office in Beureunen, Pidie regency, and stole Rp 230 million (US$33,000) in cash which was intended to pay the monthly allowances of retired civil servants. The local police chief, Lt. Col. Endang Emiqail, said the robbers seized the office's keys from office head T. Amirsyah, who was held hostage along with his family during the robbery.

In Dewantara district, North Aceh, three armed men hijacked and burned a bus belonging to Aceh Asean Fertilizer early Wednesday. North Aceh Police chief Lt. Col. Syafii Aksal suspected the armed civilians were part of GAM.

The bus was on its way to pick up the firm's employees in Lhokseumawe when the group suddenly emerged and stopped it. They demanded the driver head to the Malikul Saleh University campus. (50/51/04/sur)