Rebels resort to arson again in troubled Aceh

Rebels resort to arson again in troubled Aceh

BANDA ACEH, Aceh (JP): The official residence of the head of
the Prosecutors' Office in Meureude district, Pidie regency and
more than 10 shop-houses in Central Aceh regency were burned down
on Friday. Police said armed separatist rebels were behind the
fires.

No fatalities were reported in the two incidents.

Pidie Police Precinct chief Asst. Supt. Heru Budi Ersanto said
the house of the prosecutor was burned down in the early hours of
Friday morning.

An eye witness, Ainul Mardiah, a security guard at the
prosecutor's house, told the police he ran to a nearby security
post and called the police upon seeing a gang of armed men
approaching the prosecutor's house.

The officers arrived after the men left and the fire had
gutted the whole building.

Quoting Ainul, Heru said it was an arson attack perpetrated by
at least 10 masked rebels armed with rifles.

"The arsonists initially ordered people inside the house to
vacate the building before setting the house on fire," Heru
added.

Heru did not say how many people were in the house when the
incident took place, but the house was known to have been vacant
for a long time.

The separatist Free Aceh Movement (GAM) could not be reached
for comment about the incident.

Reports said that many armed rebels had escaped into the
forest and hills since the police launched a massive operation
against GAM over the past few days.

Also on Friday, deputy chief of Police Special Operation Cinta
Meunasah Supt. Yatim Suyatmo said that six armed rebels had
burned at least 10 shop-houses in Pondok Gajah village, Bandar
district, Central Aceh.

"A group of unidentified man arrived in a pick-up car and
poured gasoline over several buildings in the complex. They left
after all the buildings were destroyed by fire," Suyatmo was
quoted by Antara as saying.

He said the fire caused millions of rupiah in financial
losses. (50/lup)