Jakarta:
Three Christian men found guilty of inciting a bloody outbreak of fighting with Muslims in eastern Indonesia in 2000 are to be executed on Saturday prosecutors have told the men's families.
Fabianus Tibo, Dominggus da Silva and Marinus Riwu were found guilty in 2001 over months of violence on Sulawesi island between Muslim and Christian Gangs that left about 1000 people from both faiths dead.
Mr Tibo's son, Robertus, said prosecutors told him by letter on Tuesday that his father and the two other men would be killed by firing squad in the early hours of Saturday.
"I was shocked to read the letter saying that my father and his friends are scheduled to be executed this weekend," he said in the Sulawesi town of Tentena. "My father is convinced that he is innocent."
All three have said there were not guilty but their final appeal was turned down by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono last year.
A lawyer for the men told the Koran Tempo newspaper that he was trying to get them a last minute stay of execution based on new evidence.
Amnesty International said it was concerned that reports that the trial of the three men did not meet international standardness of fairness.
The case is sensitive because three Islamic militants are due to be executed this month for their role in the Bali bombings in 2002.
Several hard liner Muslim leaders in Sulawesi have called for the Christian trio to be executed.