A special branch officer held hostage by a group of men, believed to be members of Al-Ma'unah group, had to bury his colleague and another soldier who were killed, the High Court was told this afternoon.

Sergeant Mohd Shah Ahmad, who was held hostage for three nights and four days, said he had to first bury ranger Matthew Medan, followed by his fellow hostage Det R Sagadevan in Bukit Jenalik, Sauk,

He, however, said he did not witness the killing of both men.

Relating the incident, Mohd Shah said he and Sagadevan were taken hostage on the morning of July 3.

Earlier in the morning's testitimony, Mohd Shah recounted his experience as a hostage in the hands of the group [#1](Police officers tortured by Al-Ma'unah men, court heard, Oct 31).[/#]

He said on the second day of his ordeal, he was asked to bury a body of a soldier into one of the holes that he and Sagadevan had dug earlier.

Matthew's body

He said the body belonged to a soldier who had worn an army camouflage uniform that bore the wording "special operations" and had his name as "Thew". (Evidence has been adduced at an earlier hearing that identified Thew as Matthew Medan.)

Mohd Shah said that on that day, at about 1pm, he and Sagadevan were digging chest high, 6ft by 2ft, holes as ordered by the group.

"Suddenly, we heard someone calling out for a Tuan Sheikh saying that they have captured an enemy," he added.

Tuan Sheikh , he said, was how the men called Al-Ma'unah leader Mohd Amin Mohd Razali.

Gun-shots heard

He added that he then heard the "enemy" being questioned three times and at the end of each question, he heard a gun-shot.

"After the third question and gun-shot, I heard loud cries of Allahuakhbar (God is great) three times. I did not see the person questioning as well as the person being questioned," he said.

Mohd Shah added that he was then asked to go to the place where the interrogation took place.

"There I saw a body of a soldier who had died and there was lots of blood on his left leg. I was asked to remove his shirt and that was when I saw the words 'Special Operations' and his name 'Thew'," he said.

He added that he was then instructed to place the body in one of the holes he had dug.

Mohd Shah also said that on that day, another Malay man was taken hostage by the group of men.

"They brought him and asked him if he knew us. He said he did not. They also asked me and Sagadevan if we knew him. We did not know him," he added.

He said that later he found out that the man was named Jaafar Putih, a local villager.

He added that on that night, Jaafar was tied together with him and Sagadevan in a durian tree.

He said Jaafar, too, was ordered to dig holes, adding that throughout the day, he heard gun-shots being fired from the hill.

Sniper shot

Mohd Shah said at about 7.30am the next day, he saw Mohd Amin and another defendant whom he identified as Abu Bakar Ismail going to the river and on their way there, he suddenly heard a gun-shot being fired and Abu suddenly falling down.

Mohd Amin also fell to the ground to take cover and started shooting with his M-16 machine gun, to which a grenade launcher was attached, toward where the shot came from.

"He was also calling for his men to come for support and to see Abu and at the same time asking Abu to recite prayers," he added.

"He then ran, while shooting, towards the tree where all three of us were tied and as he passed me I heard few shots being fired very close to me,"said Mohd Shah.

"There were no one else at that place at that time, just the three of us and Mohd Amin."

He added that as Mohd Amin moved away from the tree, he saw a fragment of human skull by his leg.

Officer shot dead

"At that time Jaafar asked me to see his back and I saw blood splashed over his back. There were also some parts of human brains splattered on his back," he said.

He said Jaafar also told him that he could see some human flesh and parts of brains on the ground to his right.

"Only then he told me that Sagadevan has been shot dead," he added.

Mohd Shah said after about 20 minutes, he and Jaafar were instructed to bury Sagadevan and he buried his colleague in the same hole as Matthew.

He added that he and Jaafar were not tied on that night and on the next day, he was asked to dig trenches and while doing so he saw a police officer approaching Mohd Amin and his men.

He said the officer, whom he identified as ASP Abdul Razak Mohd Yusof, was in serious discussion with Mohd Amin and few of his men.

"After awhile a soldier, Captain Raja Ahmad Raja Brima Sulong, came to the place and spoke to Mohd Amin," he added.

As a result of this, he said, Mohd Amin instructed some of his injured men to be taken down the hill in one of their Pajero vehicles.

Armoured vehicles

"Soon after this, four armoured vehicles entered into the area and from one of them Left General Zaini came out and spoke to Mohd Amin," he said, adding that he had not seen what transpire during the talk.

Mohd Shah also said he saw M-16 machine guns, grenade launchers, crossbows, general purpose machine guns in the area where Mohd Amin's men were camped in Bukit Jenalik.

He added that not all the weapons were used by the men, but all of them carried a parang each.

He also identified three other defendants as being among the men in Bukit Jenalik, having earlier identified two others, including Mohd Amin.

Mohd Shah was answering questions by Attorney General Mohtar Abdullah in the "treason" trial of the 29 Al-Ma'unah members who are charged under section 121 of the Penal Code for waging war against the Yang diPertuan Agong, which carries the punishment of death or life sentence, or a fine, if found guilty of waging war or abetting to wage war in the country.

They are alleged to have committed the offence between June and July 6 at Pos 2, Km 19, Kuala Rui, Jalanraya Timur-Barat, Grik; Batalion 304, Infantri (AW), Kem Grik, Grik; and in Bukit Jenalik, Sauk, all in Perak.[#1](Twenty-nine Al-Ma'unah members claim trial, Aug 9).[/#]

They are alleged to have stolen a cache of weapons and ammunition from two military camps by impersonating as army officers in the early hours of July 2. It was widely reported that some of them were arrested on July 6 after surrendering at Bukit Jenalik.

Hearing before Justice Zulkefli Ahmad Makinudin continues tomorrow with the same witness.