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| Africa: North |
| Syrian al-Qaeda attempting to revive Moroccan branch |
| 2005-11-24 |
| Al Qaida operatives based in Syria have sought to restore an Islamic insurgency network in Morocco. Moroccan security sources said Al Qaida has helped organize local cells with ties to Islamic insurgency movements in Europe and Syria. The sources said the effort was meant to restore the Al Qaida network damaged by the arrest of more than 5,000 people in 2003 in wake of coordinated suicide strikes in Casablanca. In November, the sources said, Moroccan intelligence agencies discovered an attempt by Al Qaida to restore its network in Casablanca and Rabat. They said authorities identified and arrested 17 Islamic insurgency operatives with links to Syria. "The Moroccan security services have just dismantled a terrorist structure as it was being formed," a Moroccan government statement said. "I was composed of 17 elements linked to the radical Islamic movement having connections with small groups emerging at the Iraqi border and maintaining close ties with senior members of the Al Qaida organization." |
| Posted by:Dan Darling |