JAKARTA - A FORMER top Indonesian intelligence official will be charged with the murder of prominent human rights activist who died of arsenic poisoning during a flight from Singapore to the Netherlands in 2004, an official said on Monday.

Mr Bonaventura Daulat Nainggolan, a spokesman at the Attorney General's office, said prosecutors had 20 days after accepting a police dossier to file a case against Muchdi Purwoprandjono, former deputy chief of Indonesia's intelligence agency.

'We will charge him with premeditated murder,' Mr Nainggolan said, adding the charge carries the maximum death penalty.

Mr Munir was an outspoken critic of Indonesia's military and its often harsh handling of separatism.

Indonesia's Supreme Court has already sentenced Pollycarpus Priyanto, a former pilot for national carrier Garuda, to 20 years behind bars for his murder.

An Indonesian court also sentenced Indra Setiawan, a former head of national carrier Garuda, to one year in jail for his role in the same case.

Setiawan had previously told the court that before Mr Munir's death he had received a letter from the national intelligence agency asking him to allow Priyanto to be an aviation security officer. Setiawan said he lost the letter, which was signed by Purwoprandjono.

In June, police detained Purwoprandjono, a two-star retired army general, as a suspect in Munir's murder without elaborating at the time on his alleged role.

Purwoprandjono's lawyer said in June his client had denied ever meeting Priyanto or any responsibility for Mr Munir's death. -- REUTERS