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News.Com.au


News.Com.au, November 27, 2005

Suspected militant leader arrested

INDONESIAN police are reported to have arrested a Muslim cleric suspected of being one of the leaders of a militant group blamed for continuing violence in religiously-divided Maluku.

Ahzam, a coordinator of a local Islamic boarding school in Maluku's West Seram district, was arrested on suspicion of being the deputy of wanted Muslim hardline cleric Bahtar, Maluku police chief Adityawarman was quoted as saying by the Detikcom online news service.

Police have said that Bahtar heads a group which has been held responsible for a series of violent attacks in Maluku in recent years, including bombings and an attack on a police post on Seram island in May which left seven dead.

Adityawarman did not not say when the arrest was made but said Ahzam was now being questioned at police headquarters in the provincial capital of Ambon.

"This time, we have enough evidence to detain him," Adityawarman said. Neither the Maluku police chief nor his spokesman could immediately be reached for comment.

Ahzam was arrested on suspicion of involvement in the Loki village attack, but was released about three months ago for lack of evidence.

Communal unrest in Ambon and other islands in the Maluku chain has left more than 5,000 people dead. Government-sponsored peace talks in 2002 failed to end the violence and sporadic clashes continue, mainly on Ambon.

From: AAP

Copyright 2005 News Limited. All times AEDT (GMT + 11).
 


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