Doomsday sect leader jailed

A Christian sect leader has been jailed for two years after he and more than 200 of his followers defied police by barricading themselves in a house to await the end of the world.

An Indonesian court found the Reverend Manganin Sibuea guilty of violating the law by "abusing and besmirching" religion, the state news agency Antara quoted judges in the west Javanese town of Bandung as saying.

Sibuea, 59, was detained along with his followers in Bandung last November after they refused to leave their house, insisting that the end of the world was near.

Police feared the group might commit mass suicide after the prophecy failed to come true.

His followers -- mostly poor Indonesians from the country's mainly Christian eastern islands -- were quickly released.

Sibuea said he would appeal yesterday's verdict.