An Australian man convicted of heroin trafficking was hanged before dawn at a Singapore prison on Friday despite pleas by Prime Minister John Howard and two popes to spare his life.

Nguyen Tuong Van, 25, was caught at Singapore's Changi Airport three years ago carrying nearly 400 grams of the drug while in transit from Cambodia to his home in Melbourne.

Under Singaporean law, anyone convicted of trafficking in more than 15 grams receives a mandatory death sentence. The sentence "was carried out this morning," Gillian Ong, spokeswoman for the Ministry of Home Affairs, said in a statement.

"The street value of the heroin was worth an estimated 1.3 million Singapore dollars (US$770,000), enough to supply 26,000 doses of heroin to drug addicts."

Anti-death penalty activists joined Nguyen's twin brother, Khoa, in a vigil at the prison, leaving candles as the pre-dawn execution was carried out.

In Australia, thousands attended all-night vigils, and church bells tolled out the 25 years of Nguyen's life.

Nguyen's calmness on the eve of his execution left even his attorneys in awe. "He is cheerful because he is composed," Julian McMahon said after an hour-long farewell. "He only wishes to think good thoughts, say good thoughts and do what is right."

He was allowed to hold hands with his mother, Kim, and brother but was denied a final embrace.

A glass partition had separated Nguyen from his family and all other visitors, but the physical contact was allowed on Howard's request to Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

Under standard procedures, prisoners are handcuffed while being led to the gallows. A hood is placed over the head and a noose around the neck before the opening of the trapdoor, snapping the spinal cord.

An autopsy was conducted before the body was returned to his mother later on Friday.

The family planned to attend a service at the Good Shepherd Convent's Marymount Chapel on Friday. They were scheduled to leave for Melbourne on Saturday.

Melbourne's St. Ignatius Catholic Church, where Nguyen attended, was packed on Friday with 700 grieving friends and those protesting the mandatory death penalty.

"It's a very sad state of affairs when a state-sanctioned authority takes the life of one of its citizens or the citizens of another country," Father Peter Norden said.

Nguyen said he transported the drug to help Khoa pay off loan sharks.

Lee had ruled out any last- minute stay for Nguyen while in Germany on an official visit.

"All factors were taken into account, including petitions and letters from Australian leaders," he said during a news conference. "Finally the government decided the law had to take its course."

In Australia, the Labour Party's Kim Beazley, leader of the opposition in parliament, was among many at a morning Mass at St. Mary's Cathedral in Sydney.

Source: China Daily