Security tightened ahead of Independence Day

Security tightened ahead of Independence Day

Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak and Nani Farida, The Jakarta Post,
Lhokseumawe/Banda Aceh

Home-made bombs have been found in war-torn Aceh as the martial
law administration heightens security prior to the celebration of
Independence Day, which falls on Aug. 17.

The military said the explosives were prepared by the
insurgent Free Aceh Movement (GAM) to be used during the national
commemoration.

The latest bomb was found on Tuesday at a bunker in Paloh
Meria village, Lhokseumawe.

Troops from the 121th Infantry Battalion uncovered the bomb
which weighed about 10 kilograms.

The spokesman for the Aceh military operation, Lt. Col. Ahmad
Yani Basuki, said a man arrested on Monday, in connection with
the murder of community figure Tengku Zainudin Banda, had led the
troops to the bunker.

According to military investigators, the suspected GAM member
admitted that the bombs were planned to be detonated on Aug. 17.

Yani said that GAM could take advantage of the momentum of the
Independence Day celebrations.

"The residents are enthusiastic about celebrating the national
day in their neighborhood and this fact is certainly unpleasant
to GAM," Yani said.

"We have heightened security in several locations which we
consider prone to such attacks."

Shortly after the discovery of the bunker, the military
arrested Heru Abbas alias Boboho, a suspected GAM member who
leads a group of seven-armed-men.

Heru admitted that they had hidden their guns in a salt pond
close to the coast, but after searching until late in the
afternoon, the troops found nothing.

Also that same day, the Army's Special Force troops shot six
alleged GAM members, in an attack on the rebel stronghold in the
Peusangan district. A resident, whose identity has yet to be
revealed, was arrested following the onslaught.

Four of the suspected rebels were shot in Pulo Blang village,
one in Pulo U village and the other one in Meunasah Geudong
village.

All of the GAM members were shot in the head and all were
under the age of 30.

The assault was backed by the Army's Strategic Reserve Command
troops who blockaded the area with two tanks, forcing residents
to stay at home.

Pulo U resident Saidah, 60, said the operation started at dawn
and residents didn't dare to go to the market, to work or to
school.

A junior-high school student Fitri said her teachers canceled
classes.

The village has been suffering from electricity blackouts at
night for the last two months.

In Banda Aceh, one of five former GAM negotiators Tengku
Kamaruzzaman denied accusations that he was a member of the
separatist group, saying he had never registered with the
organization.

"I am the son of this nation. GAM has entrusted and appointed
me to be a negotiator in peace talks with the government,"
Kamaruzzaman told the Banda Aceh District Court.

In the trial, presided over by judge Maratua Rambe,
Kamaruzzaman was accompanied by his lawyers, Rufriadi, Ratna Dewi
and Sarifah Murlina.

Prosecutor Ohari Pujo accused Kamaruzzaman of being a GAM
member, or at least of knowing that the group was planning to
attack the government and wanted to separate from the republic.

Kamaruzzaman also denied charges that he had donated funds to
GAM.

Five former GAM mediators are standing trial on charges of
treason and terrorism.