Indonesia confirms major terrorist killed

One of Asia’s most wanted terrorists was staying in a safehouse packed with London-style backpack bombs when he was killed, police said today, triggering speculation he was planning more terror strikes.

Azahari bin Husin’s death is another major blow to the al-Qaida-linked Jemaah Islamiyah, but at least four other senior members of the group remain on the run, security analysts said.

The Afghan-trained explosives expert was accused of making the bombs used in the 2002 Bali nightclub attacks and at least three other deadly blasts in Indonesia, police say.

More than 30 bombs were found inside the hideout that were “primed to explode”, police chief Gen. Sutanto said, including small devices easily concealed in backpacks.

Such bombs were used in the London Underground attacks in July and in last month’s suicide strikes on three crowded restaurants, also on the resort island of Bali.

Worried that more attacks may be planned, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono ordered police to hunt down other terrorists.