Jakarta – Intelligence information has uncovered a plot to use the current protests against fuel and utility price hikes to overthrow the government, Indonesia's top security minister said yesterday.

Plotters may use students and other protesters as martyrs to achieve their objective, he said and warned of tough government action if the protesters turned violent. "Who is behind this we don't know, but that's the finding. We've heard [political] figures speak of a presidium [to replace the present government]," Mr Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono told reporters.

"It's possible there are attempts to victimise students or other protesters. This is very disconcerting," he said, after meeting national police chief General Da'i Bachtiar and intelligence chief Abdullah Hendropriyono.

The minister said: "We have asked the police to enhance their alertness and take pro-active steps to prevent the possibility of any unnecessary victims falling to political interests or agendas."

Indonesian activists continued with their protests yesterday over the price increases. Their anger continued despite a government move to appease them and unhappy parliamentarians by proposing to delay an average 15 per cent increase in phone call charges. However, the demonstrators said this would not help the poor.