A Philippine court has convicted and sentenced to life 17 Islamic militants for kidnapping for ransom 21 people, including European tourists and Asian workers, more than two decades ago.

Seventeen members of an Islamic State-linked militant group have been sentenced to life in prison for kidnapping foreign and Filipino nationals in Malaysia nearly 25 years ago, the Philippine Justice Department said Monday.

The hostages, including nationals of the Philippines, Malaysia, South Africa and Lebanon, endured months of captivity in 2000.