Former Indonesian top spy was tried in a South Jakarta district court on Thursday for allegations of killing a human right activist four years ago.

Former deputy chief of the Indonesian State Intelligence Agency (BIN) Maj. General (retired) Muchdi Purwopranjono was accused of misusing his position for premeditating the assassination of activist Munir.

Muchdi was arrested on June 19 this year after he was declared suspect.

His alleged implication was found out after the finding of an intensive telephone conversation between him and Pollycarpus before and after the death of Munir on a plane during his air journey from Singapore to the Netherlands on Sept 7, 2004.

Pollycarpus has been sentenced to 20 years after he was found guilty of assassinating the activist by poisoning him with arsenic on the journey.

Hundreds of supporters of the former general and the activist staged a rally outside the court.

During the session Muchdi depended himself.

"The accusation is far from the truth," he said.

Muchdi is scheduled to respond to the charge on September 2.

The activist's wife Suciwati said after the session that she expected Muchdi would like to mention some names at higher level.

"I hope this session can prove the implication of Muchdi and, Muchdi is brave to mention some names at higher level," she told reporters.

(Xinhua News Agency August 21, 2008)