Two explosive devices rock Aceh, police officer says

BANDA ACEH (JP): Two homemade bombs exploded at two separate locations in the Aceh capital of Banda Aceh early Monday morning, a police officer said.

Aceh Besar police chief Supt. Sayed Hoesainy said no fatalities or significant damage had been reported as a result of the two incidents.

"The first device, a homemade grenade, exploded at the Baiturrahman police subprecinct office at 3 a.m., causing minor damage to the office's terrace.

"While the second, a homemade bomb, exploded at the Aceh provincial council building, blowing in the front door of a room normally occupied by the council's Commission B," Sayed said.

He accused armed rebels of being behind the two incidents.

Sayed alleged that the explosion at the Baiturrahman police office was premeditated as a duty officer had spotted a man suspiciously wandering around in front of the office hours before the explosion.

While most of the police officers were resting, the perpetrator threw the homemade device which exploded on the terrace, he said.

Sayed also alleged that the second explosion at the provincial council building was meticulously planned as the police found a 200-meter-long cable and 20 batteries at the scene of the blast.

"These were used to detonate the device from a distance of 200 meters and this destroyed the door of a room occupied by commission B," he said.

Separately, chairman of the council's Commission B on forestry Jauharuddin Harmai said the explosion was aimed at terrorizing councillors.

"The explosion will not affect our work," he said.

Many councillors were of the opinion that the act of terrorism did not have a political motive, observing that the councillors had been focusing on an investigation into several timber companies operating in Aceh.

In separate developments, 10 people were reportedly killed in different places on Sunday.

Among the casualties were four civilians who were shot dead by security personnel during a military operation in Panggong village, Simpang Peut area, Free Aceh Movement (GAM) spokesman Amni Bin Ahmad Marzuki said.

He said the bodies of the four victims were found in Krueng Sabee district, West Aceh regency, with gunshot wounds, after the four were arrested by security personnel.

Meanwhile, West Aceh police chief Supt. Her Aris Sumarman said he had received reports on the murder of a soldier identified as Chief Sgt. Jueri and the seizure of his weapon by three civilians in Simpang Peut market.

In Central Aceh, police officers found five bodies, all with gunshot wounds, during an operation in Bandar district.

"The five were nabbed four days ago by a sweeping GAM unit," spokesman for the police security operation, Sr. Supt. Kusbini Imbar said.

Meanwhile, local GAM spokesman Ali Gergel Piraq said the movement was not responsible for the killings of the civilians, saying that it was a conspiracy by security personnel to destroy the Humanitarian Pause in Aceh.

Since the Humanitarian Pause came into effect on June 2, at least 100 people, consisting of 86 civilians, 11 police officers and 3 soldiers, have died, while security operations in the area have been intensified. (50/lup)