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The business community on Friday praised the police operation in Solo, Central Java on Thursday that led to the death of Noordin M Top, Asia’s most wanted terrorist, predicting that it would significantly boost the confidence of foreign investors doing business in the country.

Malaysian-born Noordin, a former accountant, had been held responsible for a series of bombings in Indonesia in recent years that struck at the heart of the country’s economic well-being. These included the July bombings of the JW Marriott and Ritz-Carlton hotels in Jakarta, the bombing of the same Marriott in 2003, the Australian Embassy in 2004 and the Bali bombings of 2005.

“It’s been greeted with approval by the foreign business community here,” said Ian L Betts, an adviser at risk-management consulting firm Hill and Associates.

“It was a job well-done. It came as a surprise, and it’s being greeted with optimism. If you ask about confidence about doing business in Indonesia, I think it will boost it and I think it will assist Indonesia in creating a more conducive environment for foreign investment.”

Peter Fanning, chairman of the International Business Chamber, also praised the police operation, saying it reassured the business community.

“Security is actually not an issue for investment, but as regards personal security for investors, it definitely makes us more comfortable,” Fanning said. “I don’t think it will necessarily bring more investment, but it will have a positive effect.”

However, Betts warned that the risk of terrorism remained, as the ideology that drove Noordin was still alive and others would no doubt follow in his footsteps.

“Ideally, the government should encourage Muslim organizations to be wary of the content of published materials,” he said. “Other governments have laws and regulations to prevent the incitement of hatred — all that should be regulated to preserve peace and stability.”

Betts said there was a lack of control over published materials in the country.

“If the government can monitor and possibly look into restricting materials containing very radical content, that might help,” he said. “It won’t help to police the mosques, or to monitor what they say, but they must look at the media.”

Meanwhile, Sofyan Wanandi, chairman of the Indonesian Employers Association (Apindo), said political stability was essential for business stability.

“The raid means that more travel warnings will be lifted,” he said. “Foreign business people will also feel safer coming to Indonesia. After the recent bombings, I had to meet an overseas business partner in Singapore, as he was afraid to meet me in Jakarta.”

Bambang Soesatyo, deputy chairman of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin), said the tourism sector would also probably benefit from Noordin’s death.

Many countries issued travel warnings on Indonesia in the wake of the first Bali bombings in 2002, a large number of which have remained in effect ever since.