Indonesia cannot rule out terrorism for Bush visit

JAKARTA, Nov 18 (Reuters) Acts of terrorism during US President George W Bush's visit on November 20 are possible because Islamic militants remain at large, the chief of Indonesia's intelligence agency said today.

Bush will stop in the world's most populous Muslim country for a few hours on Monday to meet President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, a regional ally in the US-led war on terrorism.

Indonesia has arrested hundreds of suspected militants since a bombing on the resort island of Bali killed 202 people four years ago.

''As long as all of Noordin Top's group have not been captured of course the threat is still present, but whether it is big or small we are still calculating,'' intelligence chief Syamsir Siregar told reporters, referring to one of the best-known fugitives.

Intelligence officials and police have said Malaysian national Top was a key planner behind the Bali blasts and other attacks aimed at Western-linked targets in Indonesia.

Siregar was speaking after a news conference with other security officials, who declined to spell out how many police and soldiers would be on hand on Monday in Bogor, the site of Bush's visit.

Local media have reported numbers ranging close to 20,000, and much of Bogor -- a scenic town 50 km south of Jakarta in foothills of volcanic peaks -- is expected to be locked down for the visit.

Bush and Yudhoyono are expected to discuss a broad range of issues from education and poverty to West Asia policy and anti-terrorism efforts.

Washington is happy with what Indonesia has done to counter militants and the Bush administration has lifted restrictions on military sales that were a major irritant to Jakarta.

There remain strong disagreements on West Asia policy.

Indonesian leaders have sharply criticised the US-led invasion of Iraq and say Washington is too pro-Israel, a country Indonesia does not recognise.

Today demonstrations against the Bush visit took place in at least eight cities across Indonesia's sprawling archipelago, most attracting fewer than 500 people.

In front of the heavily fortified US embassy in Jakarta, about 150 supporters of the Islamic-oriented Prosperous Justice Party carried banners that read ''Say no to Bush'' and ''Wanted, the killer man in the world 2006''.

REUTERS MS HS1943