Date:                March 25, 2007

Indonesia (MNN) -- Three Islamic militants have been found guilty in three Christian schoolgirl beheadings. They were sentenced to prison terms of 14 and 20 years. The grisly murders took place in Poso, Indonesia and fanned Muslim-Christian tensions in the Sulawesi Province. Open Doors' Carl Moeller says, "I think these crimes thoroughly justify at least a life imprisonment sentences. These are horrific crimes against innocent children who were killed on their way to school, and made an example of to the Christian community there with threatening notes that were accompanying the bodies that were found." It's unclear whether there will be an appeal. There are some concerns the courts were too lenient, or that the verdicts will result in sectarian violence. Moeller says Christians need support. "Our encouragement to believers there is that just as the first century church endured these types of persecutions, and then literally, turned the world upside down, they can still see their prayers and their efforts to reach out to their persecutors have an effect."

Full story: http://www.MNNonline.org/article/9731