Stephen Fitzpatrick, Jakarta – Indonesian police have uncovered a plot to assassinate President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and senior government members at the presidential palace on Independence Day.

"I don't want to mention their identities, but it's known they were to carry out an attack and murder state officials celebrating August 17," police chief Bambang Hendarso Danuri said yesterday.

The plans were uncovered during anti-terror raids in Central and West Java this week, in which several suspects were arrested and others killed.

The assassination attempt was to have been carried out by snipers, General Danuri said. One man had been tasked with obtaining 21 rifles for the plan, which was thought to have been intended to bring down the government.

"With all state officials dead, they would be able to declare their own government," General Danuri said. The terrorists had also planned to attack foreigners staying in luxury hotels, especially Americans.

"It was to be like what happened in Mumbai," General Danuri said, referring to the November 2008 attacks in the Indian city where Islamist militants killed 173 people over three days.

Justice Minister Djoko Suyanto, who appeared alongside the police chief after the pair had met with Dr Yudhoyono, warned that the information about the assassination attempt "should not be underestimated".

Dr Yudhoyono issued a statement congratulating the police for rounding up the network, which began with dozens of arrests in Aceh early this year and included the shooting death in Jakarta of mastermind Dulmatin.

"We must not be indifferent, much less be defeated by the terrorists," presidential spokesman Julian Pasha said.