On Friday last week the muezzin's call to isya was echoing through the night in the town of Lhokseumawe as the faithful prepared for the evening prayer. At one corner of Jalan Merdeka, waiters at a sate restaurant were serving a handful of customers when a loud explosion followed by the staccato sound of gunfire sent them all scurrying for cover.

Instantly, the few stores to still open after dusk pulled down their shutters, In less than five minu