Toronto resident Thiruthanikan (Thani) Thanigasalam, left, appears in a New York City court room on terrorism charges on Monday. (ChristineCornell/CBC)

Two Tamil-Canadians who were caught by the FBI trying to buy anti-aircraft missiles and other weapons for the Tamil Tigers three years ago have been sentenced to 25 years in prison with no chance of parole.

Toronto residents Suhil Sabaratnam and Thiruthanikan (Thani) Thanigasalam were sentenced in New York City on Monday. Both pleaded guilty to conspiracy and material support for terrorism. The sentences were lighter than what prosecutors had sought.

Prosecutors had argued that in addition to the current charges, the men's plan to buy the weapons constituted an act of domestic terrorism.

Instead, the judge in the case underscored that neither man had a prior criminal record and said both had acted as "gentlemen" since their incarceration in the U.S.

Suhil Sabaratnam was sentenced to 25 years in prison, as was co-accused Thanigasalam. (ChristineCornell/CBC)

On Aug. 19, 2006, the men drove from Toronto to Long Island, N.Y., to meet "Vinny," a man they believed was a Mafia arms dealer but who was actually an undercover FBI agent.

The agent showed Sabaratnam and Thanigasalam a crate containing a Stinger missile and its firing tube.

After making a cellphone call to Tamil Tiger bosses in Sri Lanka, Thanagasalam ordered 10 SA-18 heat-seeking anti-aircraft missiles and launchers, 500 AK-47 assault rifles and other military equipment, the Federal Bureau of Investigation said.

The weapons were to be used by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Ealam, or LTTE, to shoot down Kfir aircraft used by the Sri Lankan military, the FBI said.