Jakarta – An Indonesian general predicted a long war against separatist rebels in Aceh despite the killing of their military leader. "This war will still be long," said Kostrad strategic reserve commander Lieutenant General Ryamizard Ryacudu, whose men shot dead Abdullah Syafii on Tuesday.

"This is not just a war about security only but other factors as well," the state Antara news agency quoted him as saying, without elaborating.

However Ryacudu said Syafii's death would have an impact on the morale of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) guerrillas, who have been fighting for independence since 1976, and "hopefully" dampen their fervour.

Syafii, 54, his wife and five bodyguards were killed in a 20-minute gunfight with troops at a jungle hideout in the northern district of Pidie. Ryacudu bristled at journalists' suggestions that Syafii be declared a hero, saying that in the army's eyes he was "little more than a criminal."

GAM meanwhile repeated accusations that Abdullah Puteh, governor of the energy-rich province on the north of Sumatra island, had tricked Syafii by enclosing a tracking device in an invitation to peace talks. Puteh has denied the allegations, saying his letter never even reached Syafii.

The GAM's exiled leadership in Sweden, in a statement received here Friday, said it was in possession of the letter and the microchip tracking device. "We reject the denial by Governor Abdullah Puteh that the letter he sent to Tengku Abdullah Syafii never reached his hands. The letter did arrive, we have as proof the letter and the microchip," said the statement signed by spokesman Sofyan Dawod. "Abdullah Puteh may well produce another letter and even say that the letter was never sent to Tengku Syafii."

Puteh said the invitation never made it to Syafii because the gunfight was already under way when the courier carrying the letter approached the guerrilla commander's hideout. Ryacudu also denied the use of a tracking device, telling reporters on Thursday: "We are not like US forces, installing [bugs] here and there."

Ryacudu said a regular Kostrad patrol had stumbled by chance on Syafii's hideout when it found signs that someone was using a jungle hut in the Jiem Jiem area of Pidie district, where the deadly gunfight took place.

In Friday's statement Dawod contested claims that the technology to produce a microchip was not available in Aceh. "Microchip technology is no more sophisticated than calculator technology ... it's not only American soldiers who can use it, even GAM soldiers can use that level of technology if it is needed," he said.

Analysts said Syafii's killing would have little long-lasting effect on the guerrilla struggle which has claimed an estimated 10,000 lives since 1976, and efforts for a political solution were necessary.

Jakarta last year unilaterally halted more than a year of peace talks with GAM's exiled leadership. The government has granted the province greater self-rule and a much larger share of oil and gas revenues but firmly ruled out independence.