afrol News, 27 February - A Moroccan court has sentenced 18 people to jail terms ranging between three and 15 years for their alleged involvement in a series of bombings in May 2003 in the country’s economic capital Casablanca, local reports have said.

National news agency, MAP said Saad El Housseini, the chemist who put together the bombs, was jailed for 15 years, while seventeen others received sentences ranging from three and 15 years. He was charged with raising and managing funds, and inciting on preparing terror acts.

A former resident of Spain, Mr El Housseini allegedly spent time in Afghanistan in 2002 where he reportedly received training in Afghanistan on the handling of light arms and the manufacturing of explosives and street lights.

He was also allegedly involved in the 2004 Madrid bombings. In December 2007, he was interrogated by a Spanish judge in charge of investigating the bombings.

The six near-simultaneous bombings in Casablanca in 2003 killed 45 people including 12 suicide bombers. Morocco jailed hundreds of suspected militants under the anti-terror laws passed in response to those attacks.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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