EAST Timor President Jose Ramos-Horta was at the centre of a security scare while in Sydney on Friday.

The President, who survived an assassination attempt in February, was about to exit his vehicle in Manly on Friday morning when a man shouted abuse and threw himself at the side of the car. He was quickly subdued by two of the President's team and escorted to the nearby Manly police station.

A police spokeswoman said the incident was "not politically motivated". She said the Fairlight man, 65, "appeared to be suffering a mental illness" and would not be charged.

Despite the scare Dr Ramos-Horta continued with his official duties which included discussing Manly Council's friendship arrangement with Oecusse, an East Timorese region.

He will meet Pope Benedict tomorrow.