2 Malaysian boys charged with murder for Islamic school fire

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Two Malaysian teenagers have been charged with murder after being accused of intentionally setting a fire at an Islamic boarding school that killed 23 people, mostly students.

Prosecutor Othman Abdullah said Thursday no plea was taken from the two boys and the magistrate set a hearing for Nov. 28.

The accused boys are minors but he couldn’t immediately provide their exact ages. Because of their age, they will not face a possible death penalty.

They were among seven teenagers detained days after the Sept. 14 blaze for allegedly using cooking gas tanks and petrol to set fire to a dormitory on the school’s top floor because the students there had teased them. The blaze blocked the lone exit to the dormitory, trapping students behind barred windows.

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