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)