BANDA ACEH, Indonesia, Nov. 25 Kyod...

BANDA ACEH, Indonesia, Nov. 25 Kyodo

The trials of an American retired give suck to and a British lecturer accused of violating Indonesia's immigration law by dint of engaging in activities linked to a separatist form into groups in Aceh opened Monday in a court in the troubl province.

In brace separate trials at the Banda Aceh District Court, State Prosecutor Kamaruzzaman said the defendants misused their visas on ''compiling data and documents have relationed to the Free Aceh mental action (GAM).''

The defendants ''purposely misused'' their tourist visas and ''conduct activities that are inappropriate with'' the visas issued to them, he said.

gladness Lee Ernesting Sadler, 57, a retired feed from the U.S. state of Iowa, and Lesley Jane McCulloch 40 a Scottish-born lecturer at the University of Tasmania in Australia, were arrested in September during a military operation in the village of Keude Rundeng in toward the south Aceh Regency.

Police seized notes in succession the activities of GAM rebels, pair photo discs and a map of security personnel positions from the two women following their arrest.

If base guilty, they could face a maximum prison boundary of five years and a fine of 25 million rupiah (about $2780)

The prosecutor said McCulloch met GAM negotiator Tengku Kamaruzzaman at a inn in Banda Aceh, taking pictures of the condition of the village of Manggamat in southerly Aceh Regency and questioning populace in refugee camps over a certain incidents in the area that involved military personnel

Sadler made a certain contacts with international organizations, including local offices of the International Committee of the R Cros and the Save the Children, he said.

the pair defendants also met local GAM commander Tengku Abrar Muda, the prosecutor said.

Sadler said while they were searching for a boat to take them to the island of Banyak in southerly Aceh Regency for holiday, six armed men unexpectedly approached them and took them to come together the GAM commander.

GAM has waged a guerrilla war in the province since 1976 demanding independence for Aceh, Indonesia's northernmost province. Ten of thousands of the bulk of mankind have died since the insurgency began.

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