The shadow of terrorism fell across Indonesia again this morning when at least eight people, including some foreigners, were killed and at least 50 were injured in two large explosions at luxury hotels in Jakarta.

The near simultaneous explosions occurred at about 8am in the Ritz-Carlton and in the nearby JW Marriott, the hotel where 12 people were killed and 150 injured in a suicide bombing almost six years ago.

Many of the residents at the Marriott had rushed into the street when they heard the first bomb go off, preventing further deaths as the Marriott restaurant was nearly empty when the second blast occurred.

Manchester United were booked to stay at the Ritz-Carlton tomorrow on the Indonesian leg of their Asian tour. The fixture in Jakarta against an Indonesia Super League XI on July 20 has now been cancelled, the club said today.

The Foreign Office said it had no indication of any British casualties.

Theo Sambuaga, head of a parliamentary commission in charge of security affairs, said that there was evidence the blasts were caused by by suicide bombers.

"We received a report that eight died at the scene ... including a suicide bomber," he said.

Police later found a third, unexploded bomb in a room at the Marriott, which they believe was the "command centre" for the bombers.

Television pictures showed police and rescue workers outside the Ritz-Carlton and walls and windows blasted out on the first floor.

Police said that one blast hit the basement of the Marriott just before 8am local time, and a second struck the restaurant of the Ritz-Carlton moments later.

The street in front of the Marriott had been sealed off but witnesses reported seeing blood on the pavement.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, who was re-elected to a second term in the mainly Muslim country last week, was deeply concerned about the incident, a spokesman for his office said.

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