US warns of protests during Bush's Indonesia visit

Jakarta, Nov 13: The US embassy in Indonesia warned today that demonstrations over a visit by US President George W Bush could turn violent and told Americans to be vigilant and avoid protest areas.

Bush is scheduled to make a short visit to Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation and an ally in US-led anti-terrorism efforts in Asia, on Nov 20.

There have already been protests from hardline Muslim groups in the run-up to the visit.

Separately, an opposition party has criticised the construction of helicopter pads in the 87-hectare botanical gardens in Bogor, a scenic town in foothills near Jakarta.

Bush's meeting with Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono will take place at a palace in the gardens, and massive security is expected in and around Bogor.

''While legitimate groups intend their demonstrations to be peaceful, any demonstration can turn confrontational and escalate into violence,'' the US embassy said in a statement sent to American citizens in Indonesia.

''The Embassy urges Americans to avoid the areas announced as demonstration sites... to avoid crowds, maintain a low profile, and be vigilant about security at all times.'' By Indonesian standards the protests so far, while frequent, have been relatively small and peaceful.

But on Saturday a low-grade bomb went off at a Jakarta outlet of the US-based A&W restaurant, an incident some local media linked to Bush's visit.

Police said today they had not established a motive for the man suspected of the bombing, although they found material in his home that could have been used in making more explosives.

Indonesia, the world's fourth most populous nation, has been hit in recent years by several major bomb attacks on such Western-related targets including the resort island of Bali, the Australian embassy, and a Marriott hotel in Jakarta.

The biggest attack, in 2002 in Bali, killed 202 people. Like the other high-profile blasts, it was blamed on Muslim militants tied to the Jemaah Islamiah network, which aims to establish an Islamic 'superstate' across Southeast Asia.

Muslims account for about 85 per cent of Indonesia's population.

Most are religious moderates, but a more militant component has been increasingly vocal.

Despite cooperation with Washington in many areas, the Indonesian government has been a staunch critic of US policy in Iraq and Israel, and anti-American sentiment among the public has grown during the Bush administration.

Issues ranging from the Mideast and terrorism to bird flu and US help in fighting the natural disasters that plague Indonesia are expected to be raised at the Nov 20 Bush-Yudhoyono meeting.

Reuters