INDONESIA DELAYS CHRISTIAN MILITANT EXECUTIONS

Indonesia delayed until after August 17 the execution of three Christian militants convicted of killing Muslims, national police chief Sutanto told reporters. Fabianus Tibo, Marianus Riwu and Dominggus Silva were to face a firing squad just after midnight at a secret location in Palu, the capital of Central Sulawesi province.
The announcement of the delay came after a day of demonstrations against the planned executions by thousands of Indonesians, and a plea by the pope for clemency.
But Sutanto added: ‘This is only a problem of time. The provincial government will decide the execution timeframe. The fastest would be three days (after the 17^th).’
Pope Benedict had called on Indonesia to stop the execution of the three Christian militants, as thousands of Indonesians held a prayer vigil opposing the death penalty.
Vatican Secretary of State Angelo Sodano said on behalf of the Pope that clemency should be granted ‘on humanitarian grounds’ for the three men who were found guilty of leading a Christian mob in an attack which killed more than 200 people during Muslim-Christian clashes in the province’s Poso region.
‘In the name of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI, I turn to you again ... in order that an act of clemency might be granted to these three Catholic citizens of your nation,’ a letter addressed to Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said.