ACEH POLICE ACTION NETS FOUR MILITANTS, ESTIMATED 50 AT

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.