Palu – A powerful bomb exploded again on Thursday morning, in the sectarian conflict-torn city of Poso, Central Sulawesi province.

The explosion killed Bahtiar, alias Manto, 20, from Kayamanya and damaged buildings, Antara reported. The bomb exploded at 9am local time.

But, AFP reported that police identified Bachtiar as a suspected bombmaker who blew himself up Thursday as he built an explosive device in the troubled district of Poso.

"Our initial analysis from the evidence in the field is that he was making a bomb at the time and it exploded," provincial police spokesman Agus Sugianto told AFP. Sugianto said Bachtiar was on the police wanted list in connection with a July 11 bombing that wounded three people at a Poso cafe. Bachtiar was also wanted in connection with the burning of a car in 2001.

The explosion blew off Bachtiar's hands and severely damaged his eyes and chest, Sugianto said. He died at the scene. "We can't yet determine if it was high or low explosive," he said. Bachtiar was alone at the time in his father's house, which was heavily damaged.

Up to 1,000 people were killed in Muslim-Christian violence which broke out in Poso in 2000. The government brokered a peace deal in December 2001 but sporadic violence continues.

Sugianto said inter-religious relations have already improved in the region, so police could not say whether the blast was linked to Poso's internal conflict.