TNI intensifies efforts to stop rebels fleeing

TNI intensifies efforts to stop rebels fleeing

Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak and Nani Farida, The Jakarta Post,
Lhokseumawe/Banda Aceh

The Martial Law Administration in Aceh is intensifying efforts to
prevent Free Aceh Movement (GAM) leaders from fleeing the
province or country, an official says.

Military operation command spokesman Lt. Col. Ahmad Yani said
on Sunday that the decision followed rumors that GAM leader
Sofyan Dawood had fled to Malaysia.

"We are not sure about Sofyan's claim that he is in Malaysia,
but we will continue to follow the latest developments," he was
quoted by Antara as saying.

"If Sofyan is in Malaysia, we are now questioning his
commitment to his movement," he said.

If Sofyan had fled to Malaysia and left others to continue the
rebellion against the Indonesian Military (TNI), this showed GAM
was plagued by disorder, Yani said.

Meanwhile, Col. Ditya Sumarsono said it was "quite possible"
Sofyan had fled to Malaysia "but then again he could be lying ...
while in fact he is still hiding from us in Aceh."

Sofyan is the rebel's chief spokesman and also commander of
GAM's key Pase district near the city of Lhokseumawe.

He reportedly left Aceh more than two weeks ago and flew to
Malaysia via Jakarta using a different name.

Separately, Tengku Jamaica, the GAM spokesman for Samudra
Pasai, said Sofyan was in Malaysia undertaking a secret mission
for GAM.

Sofyan would return to Aceh when his mission in Malaysia was
accomplished, he said.

Jamaica denied TNI claims that Sofyan had abandoned GAM rebels
fighting the TNI.

"The claim is not true. Tengku Sofyan will return to Aceh when
he finishes his mission abroad."

Sofyan's mission in Malaysia was not related to the TNI's
offensive against GAM, Jamaica said, but he did not elaborate.

Separately, National Police have drawn up a wanted list
containing Sofyan's name and will distribute it to police across
the country and Malaysian Police beginning Monday.

Meanwhile, Malaysian authorities had no information that
Sofyan was in their country, Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad
Badawi said in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday.

Badawi, who is also home minister in charge of security, told
the official Bernama news agency that apart from the news report
"we don't have any information yet".

He said it was up to police to take action if the GAM leader
was really in Malaysia.

"We never invited them to come," he said.

As of Sunday, Ahmad Yani claimed the TNI had killed nine GAM
members, arrested another four and confiscated two pistols during
operations since Friday.

The Indonesian government imposed martial law on May 19 to
wipe out GAM, which for decades has been trying to set up an
independent state within the oil-rich but underdeveloped
province.