Farouk Arnaz – A human rights group expressed hope on Tuesday that the president would appoint a new intelligence chief who could solve the case of murdered activist Munir Said Thalib.

Sutanto, the former National Police chief who pursued the link between the State Intelligence Agency (BIN) and the prominent human rights campaigner's murder, has been rumored to be President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's choice to lead the country's espionage agency.

"There is hope," said Choirul Anam from the Committee of Action and Solidarity for Munir (Kasum).

While he was police chief, Sutanto ordered his head of criminal investigations, Bambang Hendarso Danuri, who eventually succeeded him, to look into the poisoning of Munir during a Garuda Indonesia flight to Amsterdam on Sept. 7, 2004.

Police alleged that Muchdi Purwopranjono, a former BIN general, orchestrated the murder as revenge for the activist's role in his ouster from the top post of the Army's Special Forces (Kopassus) in 1998. Police said Munir's fierce criticism of the alleged kidnapping of activists by the elite unit lead to Muchdi's dismissal.

He was also implicated in the case during the trial of Polycarpus Priyanto, who was convicted of carrying out the murder. Evidence showed Muchdi had allegedly held more than 40 telephone conversations with Polycarpus prior to the killing.

But in December, the South Jakarta District Court dismissed the case against Muchdi and acquitted him of all charges due to a lack of evidence. Since then, activists have been pressing for the case to be reopened.

Choirul told the Jakarta Globe that if Sutanto became BIN chief, he could possibly uncover evidence related to Munir's murder that might have been buried in the intelligence body's archives.

Yudhoyono is expected to announce his government agency appointments today.