Soldiers detained for desertion

MEDAN, North Sumatra: Two Army soldiers have been detained at the Tanah Karo Police station near here, charged with deserting their unit now deployed in the troubled province of Aceh.

North Sumatra Police spokesman Adj. Sr. Comr. Amrin Karim was quoted as saying by Antara on Tuesday that the soldiers, whose identities were not revealed, were arrested during a sweep for guns on a main road connecting Medan and Kabanjahe.

Amrin said the police also seized three grenades from the soldiers.

The two Army soldiers were driving a van with a license plate number commonly belonging to public transportation vehicles when the police stopped them.

"They claimed to be Army personnel but failed to show their military identity cards. When we discovered the grenades, they were unable to produce any documents from their superiors giving them permission to carry the explosives," Amrin said.