A court in Bangladesh has sentenced two Islamic militants to death for murdering a Christian convert in the northern town of Jamalpur, police said.
Hafez Mahmud and Mohammad Salauddin are both leading figures in the banned Islamic militant group, Jamaatul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB).
They were found guilty of murdering the convert two years ago.
The government blames the JMB for setting off nearly 500 bombs across the country in 2005 over a one hour period.
'Pre-planned manner'
The two men were convicted and sentenced by a fast-track court, known as a speedy trial tribunal, in the capital Dhaka.
The death sentence was relayed to the pair by a judge in front of a crowded court room.
In his verdict, the judge said the two slaughtered the Christian convert, Abdul Gani Gomes, in a pre-planned manner.
They are alleged to have confessed to killing Mr Gomes because he had converted to Christianity from Islam more than 15 years ago.
Mr Gomes, a chemist, was returning home from work when four militants including the two convicted men killed him in September 2004.