Jail for Aceh rebels' US reporter

By Rachel Harvey BBC Jakarta correspondent

Mr Nessen offended Indonesian authorities by covering the actions of the rebels it is fighting

An American journalist on trial in the Indonesian province of Aceh has been found guilty of immigration violations.

William Nessen was sentenced to 40 days in jail including time served, meaning that he could be free as early as Sunday.

He was arrested in June after spending several weeks travelling with separatist rebels.

The Indonesian Government launched a military offensive in Aceh on 19 May, aimed at crushing the rebel movement.

The province has been under martial law ever since.

William Nessen gave himself up to the Indonesian military authorities reluctantly.

In the days leading up to his arrest in June, he told other journalists he was scared that if he tried to part company with the rebels in the middle of the fighting, he would either be shot by Indonesian soldiers, or arrested on false charges.

Initially, Indonesian security forces said they suspected Mr Nessen of spying.

In the end, he has been found guilty of minor immigration violations; failing to report his whereabouts to the authorities and having an out of date home address on his visa.

The relatively light sentence handed down to William Nessen may reflect a desire on the part of the authorities to get him out of Indonesia as soon as possible.

His case has attracted a good deal of publicity, highlighting the difficulties faced by journalists in trying to cover the conflict in Aceh.

Only a limited number of reporters are being allowed into the province and, once there, their movements are severely restricted.

The Committee to Protect Journalists said William Nessen's case called into question Indonesia's commitment to press freedom.