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Indonesian Security Forces Raid Aceh Separatist's Headquarters
A team of Indonesian soldiers and policemen raided a headquarters of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM), a main separatist group in the province, in Aceh Besar district on Wednesday.
The security forces succeeded in seizing communication hardware during the raid, Aceh Besar district police chief Lt. Col. Sayed Hoesainy told reporters in the provincial capital of Banda Aceh on Thursday.
"No GAM member was however found there," Sayed was quoted by the Antara News Agency as saying.
Sayed said the raid was conducted after some people in the area tipped the information to the police.
Meanwhile, the communication tower in the isolated hut had been exploded by the police.
"During the raid, no resistance was received from GAM members. Apparently, the hut had been abandoned before the security team arrived," he said.
Sayed added that they suspect that there are more GAM headquarters in Aceh Besar which have been used by GAM youths as training grounds.
Separately, chief for general affairs of the Indonesian Military (TNI) Lt. Gen. Djamari Chaniago told reporters here Thursday that the TNI has been preparing its troops in anticipation of the worst scenario in troubled Aceh province, although this would need legal and political basis.
He assured that the TNI would not make the situation in Aceh worse.
GAM has been fighting for a free Islamic state since the mid 1970s. Thousands of people have been killed during the clashes between the government troops and the Acehnese rebels.
Violence continued in the province this month despite a cease- fire agreement between the Indonesian government and the GAM.
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