JAKARTA: The alleged commander of the female arm of the Rebel Free Aceh Movement will go on trial Tuesday, charged with terrorism and undermining the Indonesian government.

Cut Nur Asikin faces the death penalty if found guilty. She was arrested shortly after the government launched its latest offensive against the insurgents on May 19.

Prosecutor Zainal Said said Asikin is allegedly the commander of Inong Bale, a 600-strong contingent of female rebels. Little is known about the group, such as how often it is involved in conflict.

"We will charge her with undermining the government and violating the anti-terror laws," Zainal told the Associated Press.

Asikin, 42, is known publicly as the leader of Srikandi, a nongovernment organization whose goal is to empower women politically. She is also known as an activist with the Center of Information for Aceh Referendum, a student-based group that advocates an independence referendum for the region.

Last month, the center's leader, Muhammad Nazar, was sentenced to five years in jail for defaming the government.

Zainal said Asikin was among 224 suspected members or sympathizers of the rebel group facing possible prosecution. They include five rebel peace negotiators who were arrested when the offensive was launched. They have also been charged with terrorism and attempting to overthrow the government.

The military said more than 650 rebels have been killed and more than 1,400 others captured since the May 19 offensive started. The guerillas, however, claim that most of the victims were unarmed civilians.

The Center of Information for Aceh Referendum says that about 295 civilians have been killed in the same time period.

The insurgents have been fighting since 1976 for an independent state in the oil- and gas-rich province of Aceh on the northern tip of Sumatra island. About 12,000 people have been killed in the past decade.

(Edited by Genevieve I. Soledad)