Mr Suharto suffered a stroke last month

General Pinochet, 83, who is under house arrest in Britain, was detained while receiving treatment in London last year.

He is now fighting extradition to Spain which wants to try him for alleged atrocities committed during his rule.

Mr Suharto, who suffered a stroke last month, was rushed to hospital at the weekend suffering from intestinal bleeding. Physicians have described his condition as serious.

In the past the 78-year-old former leader has flown to Germany for medical treatment. But reports say Mr Pinochet's arrest has made him determined not to tempt fate.

Earlier this year Mr Suharto is said to have sought assurances from Germany that he would not be detained if he went there.

But these were not forthcoming and his lawyers have advised him against going abroad, according to a Western diplomat.

Activists are preparing lawsuits against Mr Suharto in connection with the tens of thousands of people killed when Indonesia invaded East Timor in 1975.

Extradition threat

Lisbon attorney Antonio Maria Pereira, who is assembling a case against Mr Suharto, said if he travelled to Germany - a fellow EU member - "it would only be natural to seek his arrest, especially considering the precedent opened by Pinochet's case."

Mr Pinochet: Arrested during back pain treatment

An estimated 200,000 people have been killed in the former Portuguese colony or died from disease and famine during the occupation.

Mr Pereira said the case against Mr Suharto was strengthened by the fact that the United Nations has never ceased to recognise Portugal's sovereignty over East Timor which meant many of the victims were theoretically Portuguese.

Human rights activists and diplomats say efforts to implement international rule of law are starting to pay off.

"The Pinochet case shows that awareness of human rights issues has increased, that the implementation of international treaties and human rights standards is working, and that governments are implementing them," said Virginia Shoppe of Amnesty International.

Release from hospital

Mr Suharto stood down as president of Indonesia last year as riots and economic chaos swept the country.

He is now under investigation over allegations he hid billions of dollars abroad during his 32-year rule.

In Jakarta, his doctors said he could be allowed to leave hospital by the end of the week.

Dr Ibrahim Ginting said scans showed the bleeding had stopped.

He also dismissed rumors that Mr Suharto had "lost his mental faculties," following a stroke last month.