JAKARTA, Nov 16: Authorities said on Thursday they planned to lock down parts of a town near Jakarta that will host US President George W. Bush next week, and warned residents it was better to stay inside their homes during the brief visit.

The Indonesian armed forces pledged to secure the Bush visit to the bedroom community of Bogor, 50kms south of the capital, whatever the potential threat.

“It is better to stay at home than to go out,” said Zenal Arifin, head of Bogor city information.

“It is dangerous. Suspicious movement can lead to being shot in the leg and many ordinary people do not know this.”

Bush will meet President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in Bogor on Nov 20, in a visit that has already provoked its share of controversy in the world's most populous Muslim country.

Groups ranging from radical Muslims to leftist students have rallied in cities across Indonesia criticising Bush, Yudhoyono, and US policy. Most demonstrations have been small, seldom exceeding 100 people.

Critics say security preparations are over the top, including building a helipad in the 87-hectare Bogor botanical gardens where the meeting's state palace venue is located and plans to deploy thousands of security forces.

Officials have directed some schools, shops and government offices in Bogor, as well as the city's main bus station and several public transport routes, to close for all or most of the day, although Bush was only due to arrive in the afternoon.

“Please understand that all of these information are classified. TNI (the Indonesian military) intends to secure President Bush and his entourage and TNI will not take even the smallest of risk,” said Rear Admiral Mohammad Sunarto.

“All things are considered, whether it is about demonstrations or terror or other disturbances,” he said.

Asked whether terrorist groups might strike during the visit, Sunarto said: “We are alert. Such things are anticipated.”

The Indonesian government has been a strong critic of US policy in Iraq and Israel, and anti-American sentiment among the public has grown during the Bush administration.-—Reuters