Moscow  - Grigori Grabovoi, the notorious Russian sect leader who promised bereaved parents he would resurrect children killed in the Beslan school siege, was sentenced Monday to 11 years in jail.

The judge said the prosecution had proved that the sect leader had caused difficult emotional trauma to family members of the dead children.

Grabovoi was paid up to 1,300 euros (2,040 dollars) by desperate parents for the promise of bringing back to life some of the nearly 200 children killed in the 2004 terrorist attack on the school in Beslan.

Grabovoi was found guilty of fraud, Russian news agencies reported.

The three-day siege of the school in the North Caucasian republic of North Ossetia by pro-Chechen rebels led to the deaths of 331 people including 186 children. Russian special forces stormed the building, and massive carnage followed.

Grabovoi exploited Russia's widespread belief in magic, holding massive rallies with up to 500 people to convince them he could perform miracles. (dpa)