Two Australians Sentenced To Death By Firing Squad

A court in Indonesia has sentenced two Australian citizens to death by firing squad for attempted smuggling of heroin from the island of Bali.

Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran have been found guilty of leading a gang of nine who tried to smuggle out more than eight kilograms of narcotics. All members of the gang detained in May of 2005 are Australian citizens.

Another three members have been given life terms, and the rest are yet to be sentenced.

The court proceedings have been closely watched in Australia where most of the people are opposed to capital punishment.

The Indonesian authorities have toughened up on drugs offenses in recent years after a sharp rise drugs trafficking. Several foreigners were sentenced to death for serious drugs offences. In May of 2005 another Australian, a beauty therapist Schapelle Corby, was found guilty of smuggling marijuana into Bali and sentenced to 20 years in jail.