Jakarta – South Aceh Police found a mass grave with 14 bodies, three of which were suspected to be those of the missing researchers from the Bandung-based Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), in Tebangan village, South Kluet district, an officer said on Wednesday.

Spokesman for Cinta Meunasah operation Snr. Comr. Yatim Suyatmo said a team of forensic police would soon be deployed to identify the bodies in the grave.

Antara news agency reported that two of the 14 bodies were exhumed by local police on Tuesday, one of which has been identified as one of three researches who were reported missing in the area since September, 1999.

The three missing CIFOR researchers have been identified as Budiawan Prasetyo, 35, Ating Gumelar, 26 and Herdian, 26. They were alumnae of the Bogor Institute of Agriculture. A field staff of Leuser National Park, Indrusman, 43, who accompanied theresearch team was also reported missing.

The four were believed to be killed during a massive raid, allegedly by the separatist Free Aceh Movement armed group, in the area.

Yatim said police received reports from locals about the mass grave which was situated only one kilometer west of Cut Ali airfield in South Aceh or around 534 kilometers south of Banda Aceh, the capital of Aceh province.