WHEN Munir Thalib’s aircraft stopped in Singapore en route to Europe, he sent his wife a text message to say that he felt unwell. As the flight continued, Indonesia’s leading human rights campaigner became seriously ill. Two hours from Schipol airport, he was dead.

Mr Thalib, 38, had set out to spend a year studying in the Netherlands, away from the death threats at home. He had been surprised when a friendly off-duty pilot insisted that he take a business-class seat. Witnesses said that the pilot pretended to read a magazine while Mr Thalib ate his meal.

Yesterday the pilot, Pollycarpus Priyanto, was jailed for 14 years for murder for slipping arsenic into Mr Munir’s noodles. But the trial, in Jakarta, did little to answer the real question behind the murder of a campaigner who had confronted soldiers and politicians accused of torture, kidnapping and worse. Priyanto was portrayed as a zealous nationalist, but the court found that he had not acted alone and called for further investigation. The judges only hinted, however, at the suspected involvement of the State Intelligence Agency.

One judge noted the many calls made to Priyanto by a senior intelligence agent. Evidence found by investigators suggesting an intelligence service connection to the murder was not heard by the court.

Mr Munir’s widow, Suciwati, and fellow campaigners say that evidence of links between Priyanto and the State Intelligence Agency were ignored. “They have to find the mastermind. Pollycarpus played only a small part,” Mrs Thalib said.

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