Seven detained on charges of separatism

Seven detained on charges of separatism

JAKARTA(JP): Following the detention of an Acehnese activist,
police detained early on Saturday seven more people believed to
have connections with separatist activities in the troubled
province of Aceh, an officer said on Sunday.

"We suspect these people are related to activities of the
separatist group GAM (Free Aceh Movement), but we are still
trying to find supporting evidence," spokesman for the Jakarta
Police Sr. Comr. Anton Bachrul Alam said.

The seven people are being held at South Jakarta Police
station.

Anton, however, refused to confirm whether the seven were all
Acehnese or had any knowledge on the recent bomb blasts in the
capital.

The seven were among 57 people who were arrested from a vacant
area in Block C on the second floor of the Pasar Minggu shopping
center in South Jakarta on Saturday at about 1 a.m.

Earlier on Friday, police detained Faisal Saifuddin, chairman
of Jakarta's Aceh Referendum Information Center (SIRA), on
charges of antigovernment activities. He was charged with
violating Criminal Code articles 154 and 155 on sowing hatred
against the government.

A senior police detective has denied that the detention was
related to the bombings but police sources have said an initial
warrant was made following suspicions that Faisal had knowledge
on the series of blasts that have rocked the capital, especially
the explosion in the Acehnese student dormitory on Jl. Tangkuban
Perahu in Guntur, South Jakarta, on May 10.

The seven detainees, whose names are not being released to the
public, allegedly knew Faisal, Anton said.

Anton said police confiscated from the seven detainees five
packages of marijuana and 50 rounds of ammunition for a Colt 38
pistol.

"One detainee was holding the ammunition and the other six had
the marijuana," he said.

"We haven't got a confession yet, but they were in possession
of the evidence."

Sources close to the investigation said that other items, such
as leaflets and documents on GAM activities as well as flags of
the rebel group, were also found.

The sources also said that the raid was carried out on the
instruction of Jakarta Police chief Insp. Gen. Sofjan Yacob, who
alleged that an Aceh separatist group was behind the spate of
bombing attacks in the capital.

Sofjan has also ordered close surveillance of locations
believed to be sheltering GAM activists in Jakarta.

The busy Pasar Minggu area which includes a shopping center,
public transportation terminal, railway station and a traditional
market, is known as a hangout for Acehnese youths in the capital.

Parts of the shopping center remain vacant after it was set on
fire during the riots in 1998.(emf)