A terrorist wanted for the murder of American reporter Daniel Pearl is thought to have accidentally blown himself up.

Asif Ramzi was found dead inside a chemical storage warehouse that exploded in the Pakistan city of Karachi.

Police said the warehouse was a bomb-making factory.

Ramzi was wanted in connection with the killing of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl and the June bombing of the US consulate in Karachi, said Deputy Inspector of Police Fiaz Leghari.

A powerful explosion had ripped through the warehouse, killing four people. The identities of the other three was still not known.

"There is a possibility that the people inside the building were trying to make an explosive device and it went off," said Karachi Police Chief Asad Ashraf Malik.

Eleven pounds of explosives, one rocket and several detonators were found in the debris, Leghari said.

Ramzi was the subject of a massive manhunt. Police in Pakistan had offered a £30,000 reward for his capture.

Leghari said Ramzi, who was believed to be a member of the Lashkar-e-Janghvi terror group, was wanted for questioning in connection with several incidents.

Several men have been arrested in connection with Pearl's killing and one man, Briton Omar Saeed Sheikh has been sentenced to death.

Story filed: 15:51 Thursday 19th December 2002

-- Anonymous, December 19, 2002