afrol News, 25 May - Morocco has begun court action against its terror suspects in the city of Sale.

Charges have been brought against suspected 50 terrorists who belong to Ansar al-Mehdi, a group accused of unleashing attacks on government officials, diplomats and tourists.

The suspects were accused of being members of an illegal organisation, holding unauthorised meeting as well as participated in a terrorist plot.

Ansar al-Mehdi members were accused of planning to kidnap government ministers, attack the American embassy in Rabat and tourists.

The terror accused include the wives of two pilots of the national airline, Royal Air Maroc. Some the accused persons have reportedly being tortured.

Defendants have maintained their innocence. The trial of terror suspects has been adjourned several times.

The prosecution team said it would have been too costly for Morocco in terms of losses to both human life and property had the failed plot of the terror suspects were materialised. The prosecution said it would have been more deadly than the 2003 suicide explosions in Casablanca which resulted to 45 deaths.

Moroccan authorities have been living with fears of terrorist’s attacks. The North African country’s security officials have been on high alert since suicide bombers exploded themselves in Casablanca last month, killing five people.

A court in Morocco on 8 December last year jailed 14 Islamists between three and four years for threatening national security. The main suspect, Abdelhamid Jaafar, and two others were given four year jail term while 11 others got three years.

Islamic Liberation Party, Hizb Attahrir al-Islam, who were arrested in October this year, were accused of having links with a Jordanian group suspected of having set up terrorist cells in five towns of Morocco - Casablanca, Temara, Meknes, Tangiers and Tetouan.

Morocco, a politically unstable kingdom, has been known for being hard on Islamist tendencies. It has banned Islamist parties from presenting candidates at elections and several pro-Islamist newspapers have been banned. Rabat authorities fear any well-organised Islamist group quickly could gather widespread support among the Moroccan population, which is unhappy with lack of progress and reform.

Several al-Qaeda cells have reportedly operated in the kingdom. The group was accused of carrying out the 23 May 2003 terrorist bombings in Casablanca, the worst in the country's history. Besides, the March 2004 Madrid bombs were said to have been planned by al Qaeda cells in Morocco.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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