Jakarta – The Indonesian navy has arrested a leader of a militant Muslim group and some 250 of his men who were fighting sectarian battles against Christians in eastern Maluku islands, a report said Thursday.

Navy Lieutenant Commander Agus Subagyo was quoted by the Media Indonesia daily as identifying the captured leader as Rusdin Damunwayang, one of the commmanders of the Maluku Jihad (holy war) Force.

Damunwayang, a graduate in economics from Ambon's Pattimura University, was among some 250 Muslim militants apprehended by a navy ship in the Maluku Sea while sailing to Tobelo on Halmahera island in North Maluku province, Subagyo said.

"We arrested him immediately for questioning," Subagyo, the commander of the Multatuli warship, was quoted as saying. A police officer travelling with the militants was also detained, and six sacks of Jihad uniforms were found on the boat, the Media said.

Navy chief Admiral Achmad Sucipto was quoted by the newspaper as threatening to sink any ship carrying weapons to Maluku islands. "Any ship suspected of carrying weapons that ignores our warning will be sunk by our patrol boats," he warned.