By Mike McIntyre , Winnipeg Free Press

WINNIPEG — Three Sikh priests have been ordered to stand trial for allegedly sexually abusing a young boy for years in a bizarre case that has divided their community.

Bakhshish Singh, 49; Kuljit Singh, 45; and Dalbag Singh, 39, were told the news by a judge after a preliminary hearing Wednesday. A court-ordered ban prevents details of the case from being published.

Police began investigating in December 2006 after the three priests were kidnapped from Gurdwara Nanaksar temple in Winnipeg.

A 26-year-old stormed inside the temple and accused the trio of molesting him from the time he was eight years old until he was 15.

He was armed with a ceremonial sword, which he maintains he was carrying out of religious tradition, and not as a weapon.