http://www.observer.gm/enews/index.php?option=com_content <http://www.observer.gm/enews/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=6139 &Itemid=42> &task=view&id=6139&Itemid=42
focus on Terrorism-Morocco wants peace and stability, but terrorism still lurks <http://observer.gm/enews/index2.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=6139&It emid=42&pop=1&page=0##> Print Written by DO Thursday, 26 October 2006 The Morocco government has taken several positive steps toward creating atmosphere of peace and stability and reducing the threat of terrorism. Most important, the government has announced that it is satisfied with U.N Security Council Resolution 1675. That resolution extends until December 31st the U.N. mission to help the conflicted parties in the Shara reach a fair and lasting political solution acceptable to all parties. The government has also extended its hand to Islamists by granting pardons to 30 men convicted of roles in the May 2003 bombings in Casablance. But not all terrorists are being forgiven. In two practical steps, the goverment has agreed to sign a terrorist extradition agreement with Syria and has arrested a man accused of planning several acts of terror. On May 5th, Minister of Communication Nabil Benabdallah expressed the Moroccan government's satisfaction with U.N. resolution "because it confirms the Security Council's clear will to help the parties to reach a fair and lasting political solution acceptable to all parties." Morocco claims and administers the area known as Western Sahara, but sovereignty is unresolved and armed conflict has resulted. The pardon, issued by King Muhammed IV on the occasion of the prophet Mohammad's (PUBH) birthday, freed 30 prisoners who have been convicted in various Salafia Jihadia court cases related to the Casablance bombings. A judiciary source said that the royal pardon, which covered prisoners in all Moroccan jails " was decreed after most prisoners held after the May 16 terrorist bombings had applied for pardon." The most prominent figure among the released prisoners was Abdellatif Marroun, who was under a five-year sentence in the Tangiesr prison. He was charged and put on trial for membership in the Salafai Jihadia organization and for making preparations for acts of terrorism. The bilateral Terrorist Extradition Agreement was signed in Marrakesh on April 26th by Justice Minister Mohamed Bouzoubaa and his Syrian counterpart, Muhammad al-Ghafri. The agreement will allow Morroco to receive Morrocans detained in Stria, who were arrested by the local police and charged with illegal residency and attempting to infiltrate into Iraq. Over the past two years, Syrain authorities have already extradited five Morrocans back to Morroco. All five were prosecuted at the Rabat Court of Appeal on charges of "links to a terrorist group, harming the public system and forming a criminal gang." The man suspected of planning several terrorist attacks was arrested on April 30, but his name has not been released. The police would only say that the "would-be Kamikaze" was a member of a terrorist cell that was planning attacks on targets in Northern Morroco. A much bigger blow was struck in late March, when the Morrocan security services rolled up terrorist cell in Casablanca called the Moulay Rachid cell, led by the Tuniasian extremist Mohammed Ballhadj Msahel. The cell, with ties to the al-Qaeda-linked Salafia Grop for call and combat, was reportedly planning attacks in Morocco, Italy and France. The target in Morocco was to be the U S Embassy in Rabat. Two targets were in Italy, including the Milan subway and a church in Bologna. The French target was to be the headquarters of the French secret services in Paris. The attack was planned for July 14th, which is Bastille Day, the day that commemorates the French Revolution. The break-up of the cell involved several arrests, including nine cell members who had been expelled from Italy. The expulsions came after Moroccan security services learned of the plans for the attacks in Italy and notified their Italian counterparts. Cell leader Msahel was already under arrest on charges of passport forgery. There is even more disturbing proof that a terrorist threat is lurking over not just Morocco but all of North and West Africa. According to Western intelligence services, al-qaeda is recruiting members from the Polisario. The Polisario is a group of seasoned fighters, the guerrilla arm of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, the independence movement that set itself up as a government in exile in February 1976, when Spain ceded the colony of Western Sahara to Morocco. Al -qaeda is apparantly trying to establish a network in the region similar to that set up by Abu Musab al-zarqqwi in Iraq. According to the Sawt al-Nas newspaper, the "alliance" between Polisario and al-qaeda is "a disturbing development, as it is as important as the alliance between Osama bin Ladin and the Taliban in Afghanistan.". With little money to back their guerrilla activities, the Polisario learned to fight with meager equipment. As a result, they have managed to win more than one battle against national forces like those of Algeria and Morocco. With al- Qaeda's financial backing, they can become even more dangerous. Morocco is making significant progress in its war on terror, but the battle is far from over. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] -------------------------- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, [EMAIL PROTECTED] -------------------------- Brooks Isoldi, editor [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.intellnet.org Post message: osint@yahoogroups.com Subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] *** FAIR USE NOTICE. 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