Frankfurt  - Two 28-year-old men were sentenced to prison by a Frankfurt court on Tuesday for supporting the Islamic Jihad Union (IJU) terrorist group.

Omid S, an Afghan-born German citizen, was handed a prison sentence of two years and nine months. The other accused, Turkish national Huseyin O, was sentenced to a year and two months in jail.

Both men gave detailed confessions, but denied having been members of the IJU.

The men were not accused of conducting a terrorist attack, but police said they had helped other IJU members, who are currently on trial in Dusseldorf for plotting to blow up US bases in Germany.

The court judged that the men had assisted the IJU with access to bank accounts, cash and equipment.

The two men's full surnames were withheld under privacy guidelines for German media.(dpa)