Cablegate: Aceh Police Action Nets Four Militants, Estimated 50 At

VZCZCXRO2573
PP RUEHDT RUEHPB
DE RUEHJA #0254 0560101
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 250101Z FEB 10
FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4560
INFO RUCNARF/ASEAN REGIONAL FORUM COLLECTIVE
RUEAWJB/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC
RUEABND/DEA HQ WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC

UNCLAS JAKARTA 000254

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, EAP/RSP, EAP/INR, S/CT, INL
S/CT FOR C. JOHN LONG
KUALA LUMPUR FOR G. CHAPMAN

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PTER PREL PINS ASEC ID
SUBJECT: ACEH POLICE ACTION NETS FOUR MILITANTS, ESTIMATED 50 AT
LARGE IN JUNGLE

1. (SBU) SUMMARY. On February 22, Aceh police carried out an
operation to break up a suspected Islamic militant training camp in
the remote jungles of Aceh Besar District, arresting four militants
and seizing guns and jihadi books and videos. Police continue to
search for an estimated 50 militants still at large, reportedly
including one Afghan national. Police believe the militants were
training combatants to fight in Palestine. It appears that although
some of the militants are from Banda Aceh, most come from Java.
According to police, former Aceh Freedom Movement (GAM) members do
not appear to be involved. END SUMMARY.

2. (SBU) Police intelligence in Aceh began investigating rumors
about radical jihadist activity in Aceh in September 2009, but had
difficulty locating the militants as they were continuously on the
move, according to a senior police official in Banda Aceh. The
police began their raid on the camp at 9 p.m. on February 22 and the
operation continues. Over 150 police, mostly Special Operations
(Brimob), were involved in the police action. The camp is located
deep in the jungles near Jontho city in Aceh Besar District, in the
Jalin Mountain area.

3. (SBU) Police arrested four militants: Ismed Hakiki, 40; Zakky
Rahmatullah 27, from Pandeglang, Banten Province in West Java; Yudi
Zulfahri, 27, from Darul Imarah Subdistrict near Banda Aceh and
Masykur Rahmat, 21, from Krueng Barona Jaya Subdistrict in Banda
Aceh. Most of the militants are from Java, although some were
recruited from Banda Aceh, police said.

4. (SBU) Police reportedly confiscated rifles, commando knives, DVDs
about the Bali bombings, books about jihad, military uniforms, and
cash. Police told us that they are not sure where the militants got
this material or the background of the militants, although they
suspect there may be Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) links. Police do not
know if this group is connected with the incidents of violence
against westerners in Banda Aceh in late 2009 but are investigating
this possibility. While the investigation is ongoing, local police
speculated that the militants were preparing to fight in Palestine
and did not have a domestic Indonesian agenda.

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