CILACAP, August 20, 2008 (AFP) - Two of the three Bali bombers awaiting execution for the attacks that killed over 200 people on Wednesday condemned Indonesian authorities as enemies of Islam.

Convicted terrorists Ali Ghufron and Imam Samudra, who are on death row in an island prison off Central Java, released statements to the media through their lawyers as the government prepared their executions by firing squad.

'Dying as a martyr is my ambition, my dream, and my hope,' Ghufron wrote.

'If God wills that I be executed by infidels, including hypocrites and apostates, because I am fighting jihad in the way of God, then that means that my greatest ambition has been achieved.'

Samudra, who chose the tourist nightspots targeted in the 2002 blasts on the holiday island of Bali, accused Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and the judiciary of being 'forces of Satan.'

Meanwhile Attorney General Hendarman Supandji said Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim country, had shelved plans to execute the bombers before the Islamic holy month of Ramadan starts in early September.

'Before, I thought the execution could be carried out before the fasting month, but not anymore,' he said, adding, 'I can't confirm when it will happen.'

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

The court in July rejected appeals by the Jemaah Islamiyah network militants of their convictions for the bombings, which killed mostly foreign holidaymakers, including 88 Australians.

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' lawyers 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.

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 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.