Security forces team finds five bodies found in North Aceh

JAKARTA (JP): A security forces team searching for two kidnapped marines have unearthed five bodies in North Aceh, Antara reported on Wednesday.

North Aceh Police chief Lt. Col. Isman Nofiardi confirmed that a team consisting of police and military personnel had found the bodies while sweeping the area for traces of Edyanto Abas and Saifuddin, two marine officers who went missing late last year.

Three of the bodies were discovered during excavations at a graveyard in Alue Rambee, 35 kilometers from the North Aceh provincial capital of Lhokseumawe. Two more bodies were found on Tuesday.

The bodies had apparently been buried during the fasting month of Ramadhan, which ended last week.

A team of doctors from Lhokseumawe General Hospital confirmed the five people had been murdered and said the bodies showed signs of torture.

Meanwhile, in the provincial capital of Banda Aceh, the court martial of Maj. Bayu Najib proceeded with the panel hearing the defendant's response to charges of battery leading to death. The defendant, who is the former commander of Battalion 113 Jaya Sakti, could face up to 12 years in jail.

Bayu's lawyer Capt. Silaban was quoted by D&R as saying that the prosecution had failed to come up with a case strong enough to incriminate the defendant. He also argued that the prosecution had failed to show whether the officer committed the crime by himself or with the help of other soldiers.

Silaban asked presiding judge Col. Sri Umi Sularsih to pass a fair verdict when he rules on the case on Friday.

Four Acehnese men died in military custody after dozens of soldiers raided a makeshift detention center where they were being held on Jan. 9. The military rounded them up during an operation against separatists thought to have killed seven off- duty soldiers and abducted two others last month. (01)