Executions of Christian militants spark violence

? Christians angered by Friday’s executions of three Catholic militants in the world’s most populous Muslim country torched cars and government buildings, looted shops and attacked a jail, freeing hundreds of inmates.

The executions of the men, who faced a firing squad at 1:45 a.m. in Palu for a massacre at an Islamic school six years ago, appeared to smooth the way for the executions of three Muslims convicted in the 2002 Bali bombings. Some analysts said the government would be unwilling to spark public anger by executing the Muslims first.

Vice President Jusuf Kalla appealed for calm following Friday’s sectarian violence, which left at least five people injured. He said the executions had nothing to do with religion in this largely secular nation, which has about 190 million Muslims.

Fabianus Tibo, 60, Marinus Riwu, 48, and Dominggus da Silva, 42, were convicted of leading a Christian militia that launched a series of attacks in May 2000 – including a machete and gun assault on an Islamic school that left at least 70 people dead. Muslim groups put the death toll at 191.