Soldiers detained for desertion

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.