GAM´s, the Free Aceh Movement, leadership troika in Sweden was arrested in Stockholm on Tuesday, suspected of civil rights crimes.
Hasan di Tiro, Malik Mahmud and Zaini Abdullah were apprehended at an early morning raid against their apartments in southern Stockholm.
Computers, videotapes, tapes and other material were confiscated.
The arrests were made following a half year long preliminary investigation, of GAM´s activities in Sweden, led by international prosecutor Tomas Lindstrand.
Indonesia has for a long time accused the Sweden based GAM leadership of directly leading terrorist acts as well as the civil war in Aceh province, northern Sumatra.
GAM´s Swedish leaders have responded by stating they only lead the political wing of the movement and are not involved in military actions.
GAM´s aim is to set Aceh free as an independent nation. Sweden´s official position is to not support GAM´s goals while at the same time defend the movement’s right to an opinion.
Two of the arrested, Hasan di Tiro and Zaini Abdullah, are Swedish citizens, Malik Mahmud is a Singaporean holding a permanent residency permit in Sweden.
Hasan di Tiro, GAM´s President, was allowed to stay at his home due to frail health.
The crimes they now are suspected for, breaking international human rights regulations during armed conflicts, can lead to four years imprisonment.
The accusation is an indication that Indonesia’s claims that GAM is involved in terrorist acts have not been proven by Lindstrand´s investigators.
