Murdani, who was aged 71, was credited with setting up the country's strategic intelligence service shortly after then president Suharto made him head of the armed forces in 1983.

He died at the Gatot Subroto army hospital early Sunday, the family member said.

Murdani had been admitted to the hospital on July 7 following a stroke and lung infection, press reports at the time said.

He first came under the spotlight when he led a military operation to free hostages of a hijacked Garuda Indonesia aircraft in Bangkok in 1981.

Murdani became the first Christian to lead the military in this largest Muslim-populated country. A staunch Suharto loyalist, he held the post for a decade.

He was also one of the key planners and executors of the invasion of East Timor in 1975. As the head of the military, he was accused of executing Suharto's controversial Petrus anti-crime operations in which street criminals were shot dead by secret operatives in the 1980s.

Murdani was also implicated in the Tanjung Priok shooting of protestors in 1984 in which dozens of Muslims were killed. An ad hoc human rights court has convicted several military officers and privates over the killings.

His body will be buried with state honors at the Kalibata heroes cemetery in Jakarta later on Sunday after lying in state at the military headquarters.