 He held several different positions in the movement, including as a special staff office for psychological warfare in the Central Free Aceh Movement command, as negotiation coordinator, and as Expert Staff on counter-intelligence in the Central Command of the Aceh National Army.He spent some time in 2001 with the Red Cross, taking the opportunity to study humanitarian law.Irwandi was arrested in 2003 and interned in the Keudah Prison in Banda Aceh.