Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf has hailed the killing of a top al-Qaida leader as a crushing blow against terrorism.
During his visit to the Netherlands, General Musharraf said the death of Amjad Hussain Farooqi eliminated a major terrorist threat.
Amjad Farooqi was a suspected planner of two assassination attempts on President Musharraf. He also had been indicted in the kidnapping and beheading of American journalist Daniel Pearl in 2002
Security forces killed the terror suspect during a gunbattle in southern Sindh province. Pakistani authorities are questioning three other men detained during the raid.
Police in the southern city of Karachi say they have increased security at government offices, foreign consulates and places of worship in anticipation of retaliatory attacks by militants.
Information for this report is provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.