Morocco fights terrorist network

2008-02-19 08:14

Rabat - Moroccan security forces broke up a terrorist network with jihadist tendencies on Monday that was planning attacks in the north African country and arrested two Islamist politicians linked to the group, the government said.

A government official confirmed a report by the state news agency MAP, which said an investigation had "led to the identification and arrest of the main active members of the network".

"Twenty-three of them, including the network's leader Abdelkader Belliraj, were taken into custody," in the operation on Monday evening, MAP reported.

The group, which it described as "very dangerous", had links with other organisations active in Morocco and abroad, it added.

Mustapha Moatassim and Mohamed Merouani, leaders of two lesser-known Islamist political groups, were arrested by judicial police as part of the operation.

Religious militants

Moatassim was head of Alternative Civilisationnel, which took part in legislative elections last September. Merouani led an association, the Movement for the Umma, which was denied permission to become a recognised political party.

"It's been common to arrest unknown people for being members of jihadist cells, but this is the first time they mention people who are well known in Morocco," said political analyst Mohamed Darif.

Moroccan authorities had broken up dozens of suspected cells of religious militants in recent years and the country's prisons now hold hundreds of Islamists.

Seven men blew themselves up in Morocco's economic capital Casablanca in March and April last year, killing themselves and a police officer.

A spate of much deadlier bombings had hit neighbouring Algeria and security analysts suspected radical Islamist groups of stepping up co-operation to overthrow north African governments.

- Reuters