MARINES MURDERED
Date Reported: Tuesday, January 25, 2000
Incident Type: SECURITY
Country: BANDA ACEH, INDONESIA Incident: The weekly Serambi (Banda Aceh) has reported that four Indonesian marines were killed yesterday in Bireuen District, Aceh. The incident occurred when 13 members of a 24-member platoon joined local villagers at a mosque for evening prayers. The mosque was located next to the marine command post. Witnesses said they initially heard three grenades explosions near the mosque, which caused the marines to rush from the premises. The witnesses then said they heard steady gunfire that sounded like bursts from a Minimi squad automatic weapon (SAW). The marines were cut down as they emerged from the mosque. The firing kept up for 15 minutes. The bodies of the marines were found in the yard of the mosque, about 50 yards from their command post. Four of them were killed outright; three were wounded seriously; three were slightly injured; three disappeared and are presumed abducted by the Acehnese attackers. The prognosis for the safe return of the missing marines is poor. According to a military spokesman, the attack was carried out by a band of the Aceh Merdeka insurgents headed by a Tengku Muslem. In a separat action in Aceh, insurgents last night fired on a police truck in Lhoksuwon District. There were no casualties. The vehicle was on the Banda Aceh-Medan highway. In the same general area shortly before the truck attack, four insurgents stopped a company bus belonging to PT KKA. The insurgents made the passengers get off the bus, and proceeded to burn the conveyance. There were no injuries in the incident.
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