In a follow up to the arrests we commented on in an earlier post, seventeen suspected members of an Islamic terrorist group appeared before an examining magistrate court in Sale, across the river from Rabat and were charged with "criminal conspiracy for terrorist attacks and breach of the peace".
The court was told that the men allegedly planned a "bloody December" that would have attacked tourist sites and public institutions in the kingdom.
They are also being accused of belonging to a "terrorist organisation linked to small groups operating on the Iraqi border, and having close connections with some leaders of the Al-Qaeda network".
Moroccan security forces have recently broken up what was described as a "terrorist cell on the make," consisting of elements affiliated to an extremist Islamic movement connected to small groups supervised by Al Qaeda.
According to security forces, Khalid Azig (a student in Syria), who entered Morocco last June was on 29 September joined by another suspected militant, Mohamed R`ha, a Belgian citizen of Moroccan descent.
The latter is known to have lived in Syria and maintained close ties with "former Moroccan Afghans" Brahim Benchekroun and Mohamed Mazouz, two former detainees at the U.S.-run Guantanamo detention camp, who were released temporarily.
Other charges accuse the men of "belonging to a criminal group, non- denunciation of terrorism and breach of national security. The charges also include giving support to a criminal group (Al Qaeda) through the transfer and distribution of funds to Moroccan citizens working against the country`s interests, forgery and use of a forged passport," the sources added.
In August 2004, the USA handed over to Moroccan officials five Moroccan nationals who had been captured in Afghanistan and detained in Guantanamo.
It would be interesting to know what sites the men were planning to attack and why December was chosen. If the aim was to create havoc amongst tourists like the attacks in Bali, then December is an odd choice as it is not a high season for tourists.
Morocco's Arabic-language daily Al Ahdath al Maghribia, widely seen as well-informed in security matters, quoted security sources as saying the plot included bombing two hotels and a "big company" in Casablanca, and unspecified government buildings in Rabat.
Al Ahdath al Maghribia said security forces arrested Azig, R'ha and 15 others early this month and recovered pictures they had taken of their intended targets.
"Morocco is one the first countries at the forefront of the global fight against terrorism. That is why it is targeted by al Qaeda," Maroc Hebdo quoted a police officer as saying
Tags: Morocco, Fes, Jihad, Terrorism,
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