SAN SALVADOR: El Salvador's Supreme Court on Friday released three former military personnel who had been detained over the 1989 murder of a group of Jesuit priests.

The three had been in prison since February after Spanish judge Eloy Velasco sent a request for the capture and extradition of 17 former military personnel who were allegedly involved in killing the priests, five of whom were Spanish.

In August, the court denied an extradition request from Spain for a former military colonel to face charges related to the murders.