JAKARTA, August 20, 2008 (AFP) - Indonesia has shelved plans to execute the three Bali bombers before the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan in early September, the country's attorney general said Wednesday.

'Before, I thought the execution could be carried out before the fasting month, but not anymore,' said Attorney General Hendarman Supandji.

'I can't confirm when it will happen.'

He said the delay was due to the fact that his office had not yet received formal Supreme Court confirmation that the bombers had exhausted all appeals.

The court in July rejected appeals by the Jemaah Islamiyah network militants -- Amrozi, Imam Samudra and Ali Ghufron -- against their convictions for the 2002 bombings, which killed over 200 people on the holiday island.

The bombers' lawyers said Wednesday they had written to the attorney general requesting a stay of execution pending a separate appeal to the Constitutional Court over the legality of using the firing squad for the execution.

The militants' laywers have said the bombers want to be beheaded.

'We appeal that the execution be called off until a judicial review has been completed,' lawyer Achmad Michdan told AFP.

However, Attorney General Supandji said the delay in the execution until after Ramadan was unrelated to the request from the bombers' lawyers, which is handled under a separate judicial process.

Defence lawyer Michdan said the three bombers appeared to be in high spirits when visited by their legal team to discuss the appeal.

'They're not afraid and are ready to die as martyrs,' he said.

Executions in Indonesia are carried out by firing squad, usually at night in isolated and undisclosed locations. The death row prisoners are notified at least 72 hours in advance.

Executions are usually not carried out during the holy month, when Muslims are urged to avoid violence and impure thoughts and to fast.