Two rebels get 24 years

Two rebels get 24 years

BANDA ACEH, Aceh: Two activists of an obscure Moslem sect have been sentenced to imprisonment for 15 years and nine years, respectively, for supporting a rebel movement which aims to turn Aceh into an Islamic state.

On Monday a team of judges in the Lhokseumawe district court found M. Amin Samidan, alias Amin Panga, 52, and Syamsul Bahri bin Mahammad, 19, guilty of supporting the Free Aceh Movement last year.

Amin was sentenced to 15 years, and Syamsul nine years, in jail. The judges said the men had undermined the legitimate government and the 1945 constitution.

Prosecutors had sought a sentence of 18 years imprisonment for each of the defendants, Antara reported.

Amin was the driver of Teuku Bantaqiah, the leader of the sect who has already been jailed. Syamsul admitted to the court that he was a soldier in the outlawed movement and had received arms from Guru Rahman, the self-styled army chief of the rebel group. (pan)