Irwan Firdaus, Banda Aceh – An Indonesian anti-corruption activist detained on allegations of stealing aid in the tsunami-ravaged province of Aceh was hospitalized Friday after complaining of injuries sustained while in police custody.

Farid Faqih, who heads the Government Watch group and had been working for the UN World Food Program, has said he was beaten by several military police at a military air base in the provincial capital of Banda Aceh.

Military police have questioned an officer, Capt. Syuib Mahmud, over the alleged beating.

His face bruised, Faqih was taken to Teuku Fakinah hospital on Friday. A police paramedic, Dr. Heri, said Faqih need treatment but refused to say if his injuries were caused by beatings.

The plight of Faqih, a longtime critic of corruption in the armed forces, has drawn considerable media attention because he had recently accused government officials in Aceh of trying to win more aid by inflating the number of refugees in camps.

Nations and private organizations have donated generous sums to Indonesia to help fund relief work in Aceh, on the northern tip of Indonesia' Sumatra island, where the casualties were the highest among the 11 nations hit by the December 26 earthquake and destructive waves.

But Indonesia's relief effort has been has been plagued by concerns of corruption. The country, which estimates the rebuilding will cost US$4.5 billion over five years, is ranked among the world's most corrupt nations by independent watchdog group Transparency International.

Police detained Faqih on January 26 for allegedly stealing two truckloads of food, medicine and computers. Troops said the aid was being unloaded from military cargo aircraft.

Faqih has denied any wrongdoing, and said he was helping to distribute aid. UN officials said Faqih was signed to help with relief work.

Faqih's lawyer, Syarifudin Yusuf, said his client had vomited several times Friday morning, and complained of pain in his stomach, chest and ear. "These injuries could be the result of beatings," Yusuf said. "He's been really tired and has not had his head and chest examined."

Indonesian law allows police to detain a suspect for a maximum of 24 hours without charge, but that period can be extended to 20 days if police determine they have substantial evidence of a crime.

Indonesian soldiers have a history of abusing suspects in their custody, human rights groups say. They also accuse the military of not doing enough to punish those who break the law.