Military probes Aceh rebels arms cache
Military probes Aceh rebels arms cache
JAKARTA (JP): Military authorities in Aceh are investigating
the origin of 49 assault rifles they seized in two places this
week, a senior minister said yesterday.
Coordinating Minister for Political Affairs and Security
Soesilo Soedarman said the authorities were also probing who
stored the rifles and ammunition and their motive.
"As of today, we have had no information on whether the
firearms were supplied by a foreign country," Soesilo said after
meeting with officials from ministries he coordinates.
In a raid Tuesday troops in Panggoi, near Lhok Seumawe, seized
18 assault rifles, two of which were M-16s and 12 AK-47s. The
Indonesian Armed Forces (ABRI) uses both the above American-made
guns.
Troops and alleged separatist rebels were engaged in a
shootout for less than an hour prior to the find. Two rebels were
arrested and another managed to escape.
Maj. Gen. Sudaryanto, head of Bukit Barisan Regional Military
Command overseeing security in Aceh, North Sumatra and West
Sumatra provinces said the two M-16s were seized by rebels in
1990.
He said rebels of the Free Aceh Movement snatched the rifles
from two soldiers doing a civic mission in Buloh Blang Ara,
northern Aceh, in which two soldiers were killed.
On Monday the military raided another rebel hideout in Langsa,
eastern Aceh, and seized 31 assault rifles consisting of 24
Russian-made AK-47s and seven M-16s.
Military authorities in Aceh suspect that separatist rebels
were planning to sabotage the giant Arun natural gas field in
central Aceh.
Soesilo said that the intelligence operation that led to the
discovery of the arms cache began after a fatal bank robbery in
Lhok Seumawe earlier this month.
Two employees of Bank Central Asia were shot dead and the
robbers fled with Rp 405 million (US$172,000) in cash.
"We believe the rifles belong to separatist rebels," Soesilo
said.
Authorities in Aceh have said that remnants of the Free Aceh
Movement are active again. (imn/pan)