Swedish team moves inquiry to Medan
Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Medan, North Sumatra
Swedish prosecutors continued their investigations into the alleged crimes of Free Aceh Movement (GAM) leaders in exile, by interviewing rebels serving jail terms in the Tanjung Gusta penitentiary here on Friday.
The team had earlier conducted a two-day investigation in the neighboring war-torn province of Aceh.
Led by Stockholm's District chief prosecutor Thomas Lindstrand, the team interviewed 37 GAM prisoners in Medan, including GAM commander overseeing the Deli-Medan area Manaf Abdi alias Abu Hendon. All the prisoners were questioned at the North Sumatra police headquarters.
Manaf was accused of perpetrating bomb attacks at the compound of the Medan mayor's office, the oil pipeline belonging to state oil and gas company Pertamina in North Sumatra's town of Belawan and the Asean International Hotel on Jl. Adam Malik. All of the crimes took place last year.
He has been sentenced to 10 years in jail.
Sr. Comr. Sayed Hoesainy, chief of law enforcement operation task force Tegak Rencong-II in Aceh, said the team questioned Manaf to collect more data on terrorism allegedly committed with the consent and help of GAM leaders in Sweden, including Hassan Tiro -- an Acehnese who declared the independence of his oil-rich territory in 1976.
Several officials from related ministries -- the Attorney General's Office, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Justice and Human Rights, and personnel from the National Police headquarters -- assisted the team during the investigation in both Banda Aceh and Medan.
Before interviewing the prisoners, the team held a closed-door meeting with high-ranking police officers, but none of the two parties were willing to speak to the press regarding the investigation.
North Sumatra Police chief of detectives Sr. Comr. Satria Hari Prasetya, said police had only facilitated the investigation.
"They (the prosecutors) come here to collect data and information about a series of terror activities committed by GAM, and we are ready to assist them," Satria said.
Earlier, the team interviewed GAM prisoners serving prison terms in Banda Aceh, including GAM negotiator Sofyan Ibrahim Tiba and the movement's finance ministry Usman Lampoh Awe.
They also visited the Aceh Besar regency to see dozens of burned schools that currently are being renovated by the local administration.
The Indonesian Military (TNI) blames GAM for the arson.
On Saturday, the prosecutors will question a woman held hostage by GAM for seven months, at the National Police Headquarters in Jakarta. They will then hold a media conference on Sunday before flying back to Sweden.