Swedish team moves inquiry to Medan
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.