The offensive "is on the right track and the progress exceeds our expectations in every aspect," Sutarto told reporters as the country's biggest military offensive in a quarter-century entered its third week.

Operation spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Yani Basuki said earlier in Lhokseumawe that more than 100 members of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) have been killed but declined to give further figures.

Sutarto said civilian casualties "are only about 20 or so and they are mostly people deemed to be collaborators of the military."

Top security minister Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said Indonesia would send a team of officials to Sweden this week to persuade it to clamp down on exiled Aceh separatist rebel leaders.

It would present "concrete evidence of the involvement of Hasan Tiro and colleagues, who are Swedish citizens, in crimes against the security of Indonesia and acts of terrorism," he said.

Tiro, who founded GAM in 1976, has lived in Sweden since 1979. Like some other exiled top GAM leaders, he has acquired Swedish citizenship.

Indonesia wants Stockholm to take unspecified action against Tiro and others. But Sweden has responded that it has no legal grounds to act unless GAM leaders break laws there.

National police chief Dai Bachtiar said Interpol had notified member countries about Indonesia's request that GAM's exiled leadership be put on a list of international terrorists.

Bachtiar accused the rebels of involvement in a series of bombings in recent years in Jakarta and the Sumatran city of Medan on orders from Tiro.

He cited the stock exchange bombing in Jakarta in September 2000, the Atrium mall bombing in August 2001, the Cijantung Mall bombing in July 2002 and blasts in Medan on March 31 and April 1.

GAM has always denied involvement in operations outside Aceh province.

In East Aceh, area GAM commander Ishak Daud said his men seized 13 local civilian leaders on Sunday for complying with military orders.

"They are now with us and the reason we have captured them is that they have respected the orders of the Indonesian military," Daud told local reporters.

Authorities had told village officials to issue temporary ID cards to residents after the separatists confiscated many of the regular cards.

"We are detaining them to give them advice. Once we have given them this advice, then we will free them," Daud said without giving a date.

The fighting has driven more than 21,000 people from their homes, according to United Nations figures. Food supplies have been disrupted and more than 400 schools have gone up in smoke. Each side blames the other for the school arson.

The military has denied reports from some villagers that troops shot dead civilians on May 21, describing those killed as GAM members.

The operation's commander, Brigadier General Bambang Darmono, said a court martial was on Tuesday to start hearing the case of six soldiers accused of mistreating three villagers at Lawang in Bireuen district on May 27.

"You will be able to see tomorrow the open and rapid trial, which will be conducted by the Indonesian armed forces military operation command to judge soldiers who did not perform their duties well," Darmono said, as quoted by the Detikcom online news service.

A soldier who had demanded cash and gold jewelry from residents would also face trial soon, Darmono said.

The general said he "will firmly punish" errant soldiers.

Up to 40,000 police and soldiers are confronting an estimated 5,000 rebels from GAM.

WAR.WIRE