JAKARTA - AN INDONESIAN court on Wednesday acquitted a former intelligence official of the murder of a prominent rights activist, in a case which was seen as a key test of state accountability and commitment to the rule of law.

Muchdi Purwoprandjono, a former deputy chief of Indonesia's National Intelligence Agency (BIN), was found not guilty of abusing his powers and assigning an agent to poison Munir Thalib, an outspoken critic of the country's military.

Munir died of arsenic poisoning on a flight in 2004. His widow and supporters have long pressed the authorities to investigate his death and bring those responsible to justice.

'The judges find the defendant not guilty of committing premeditated murder as accused by the prosecutors,' said the chief judge, Soeharto, releasing the defendant of all charges.

The case was seen by activists, diplomats and analysts as a critical test for Indonesia.

Under former President Suharto, those involved in human rights abuses were seldom brought to justice, and even after Suharto's downfall in 1998, state agencies and the military appeared to be above the law.

Several hundred activists who had gathered at the court in Jakarta shouted in anger at the decision.

'I will respect this verdict but I am convinced that despite this verdict the case will not stop here,' Munir's widow Ms Suciwati said after hearing the decision, indicating the case may go to the Supreme Court.

The charging of Purwoprandjono for his alleged role marked the first time a top intelligence agency official had been put on trial in Indonesia.

Purwoprandjono has denied wrongdoing throughout the trial.

Some witnesses retracted their statements during the course of the trial, prompting concerns they had been intimidated.

The prosecutor had alleged Munir was killed because he unveiled the kidnapping of 13 rights activists by special forces in 1997 and 1998 when Suharto was in power.

The disclosure led to the sacking of Purwoprandjono, who was at the time the commander of the army's special forces.

Pollycarpus Priyanto, a former Garuda Indonesia pilot, was sentenced to 20 years for serving Munir a poison-laced drink while in transit in Singapore's Changi airport. -- REUTERS