On Wednesday, Indonesian police confirmed the death of the suspected mastermind of the Bali bombings after a police raid.

[Bambang Hendarso Danuri, Indonesian Police Chief]:
"He is the man, professionally accountable; he is the real Dulmatin."

Authorities say Dulmatin helped plan the suicide bombings that ripped apart two nightclubs in Bali and killed hundreds of people in 2002.

He was one of three militants killed by police outside of Jakarta on Tuesday… a major victory for Indonesian authorities.

[Mardigu Prasantyo, Security Analyst]:
"This is a major blow for that movement."

The raid comes ahead of a visit by U.S. President Barack Obama later this month to the world's most populous Muslim nation.

Dulmatin, who once trained with al Qaeda in Afghanistan, was a top bomb technician for the Southeast Asian Islamist militant group Jemaah Islamiah.

Since the 2002 Bali bombings, Indonesian authorities have captured or killed around 440 militant suspects.

President Yudhoyono says that Indonesian police will continue to hunt down militants and disrupt their operations.