[The following is a posting by Tapol described as a reliable eye-witness report of an incident apparently set up by the military to discredit GAM separatists.]

Around the time coming up to the call to prayer for Isya (around 20.00), a Taft GT jeep drove at high speed down Jalan Merdeka in Lhokseumawe. As it approached the Hira Square, in front of the BCA Bank, two gunshots were heard eminating from the jeep, which was continuing in the direction away from the town centre. The other people who were using the road began to panic, because all of a sudden and without warning, the road was blocked in all directions by the military. Shortly after, volleys of gunfire were heard from a number of different directions and place, but was aimed into the air. People run to their homes, and those in their vehicles got out and run to the side of the road where they lay face down.

The incident has been described by the authorities as an armed clash between AGAM and the military, and the gunfire continued until 21.07, whereafter shots were only heard from time to time.

Because the shootings took place in a number of different areas in the centre of Lhokseumawe, in the areas of Keude Aceh, Simpang Kuta Blang, Pasar Inpres and in front of Banda Sakti Police Station, many people saw what really took place. Eye witnesses say that they saw soldiers running in the road, shooting into the air, whilst other soldiers were in vehicles, also shooting into the air. A number of houses which lined the road in Kp Keuramat and Keude Aceh had the windows on the second floor shot out by the bullets. Other witnesses say that it did not sound like people shooting at each other, just a release of gunfire.

After the first two shots were heard, all of a sudden the street lights went out, athough the lights in shops and housing complexes were still on. However, at 19.00, the electircity of the whole of Lhokseumawe went off for around 15 minutes. By this time the military had already blocked a number of the main roads in Lhokseumawe. Since that point, Lhokseumawe became very quiet and tense.

Whilst the soldiers were still releasing volleys of gunfire into the air, the loudspeaker from the Teumpok Teungoh Mosque announced to all the inhabitants that they should leave their homes and gather in front of the Mosque. It is not clear who made the announcement nor who ordered it to be made. There are no reports of casualties, though an ambulance roared with its siren on through the town towards the hospital.

Analysis on the ground concludes that this is an incident set up by the military to make it appear that GAM are attacking them. The incident is perceived as being part of a longer-term military strategy. It was pointed out that the initial two shot 'signal' was also used in the massacres at Simpang KKA Krueng Geukueh, Idi Cut, Pusong and Kandang.

[On May 30, an unofficial translation of a press release by the Human Rights NGO Coalition (Koalisi NGO Ham) said that it was not clear whether the recent spate of attacks in West Aceh were actually being carried out by the Free Aceh Movement or "impostors". The statement noted that the incidents occurred in areas not currently under a DOM (Military Operational Zone) status and suggested that if incidents of this kind began occurring in many different parts of the province it would provide an excuse for the military to reinstate DOM for the whole of Aceh - James Balowski.]