Three Muslim militants in Indonesia have been jailed on Wednesday for beheading three Christian schoolgirls in the troubled Central Sulawesi province in 2005.

|PIC1|Court judges have sentenced the main defendant, Hasanuddin, to 20 years and his accomplices, Lilik Purnomo and Irwanto Irano, to 14 years in prison for their parts in the attack in Poso which wrought international condemnation.

According to chief judge Binsar Siregar, Hasanuddin asked his accomplices to put the severed heads in plastic bags and place them outside the homes of Christians, reports Reuters. Hasanuddin denied claims that he was the mastermind of the attack.

The three men ambushed Theresia Morangke, aged 15, Alfita Poliwo, 17, Yarni Sambue, 15 and Noviana Malewa, then 15, as they walked to their Christian school. The first three girls died instantly; Noviana received serious injuries to her face and neck but survived the attack.

The parents of the girls touched the hearts of many Christians after they publicly forgave their daughters' killers and even shook hands with them as a sign of their forgiveness, a gesture which partly spared the men from the death penalty.

The families maintain that they wish to reconcile with their daughters' killers and have previously met with the men, accompanied by Open Doors representatives.

The older brother of survivor Noviana, David Malewa, said, "It was hard for all of us to grant Hasanuddin's request to meet with us. But as believers, we must forgive those who have persecuted us."

More than 1,000 people were killed between 1998 and 2001 during fierce sectarian fighting in Poso and nearby regions.

Sporadic violence continues despite a government-sponsored peace accord signed by Muslim and Christian leaders in the hope of securing lasting peace.