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GMP20060729950019 Rabat Annahar al-Maghribiyah in Arabic 29 Jul 06
[Report by Said El Moumni: "Explosives found in the hands of Al-Qaeda organization in Morocco"]
A source close to the investigation into the Al-Qaeda cell in Morocco that was gradually dismantled recently said that the three men from the royal armed forces arrested last Tuesday [25 July] were found in possession of bombs ready for use, scanners, computers, and printing material. | | “... were found in possession of bombs ready for use, scanners, computers, and printing material... ” |
Our source, however, did not reveal the targets that the men in question planned to attack, and whether the bombs were meant to be used soon against an already chosen target or they were rather stored for use at a later date. Moreover, according to the same source, the police, accompanied by explosives experts, carried out tests on the bombs in question in the region of the town of Bouknadil, and they found that they were indeed ready to be triggered off. As for the electronic equipment found in the hands of the arrested men, it was used for forging documents.
The same source stressed that the police had kept a watch for more than three days on the street where the suspects lived, and when they made sure that their targets were present, a large number of security men surrounded the area and arrested the three men who are suspected of belonging to Al-Qaeda organization in Morocco. | | “The fact that the three arrested men belong to the royal armed forces suggests that the latter may have been infiltrated by these terrorist movements. ” |
The fact that the three arrested men belong to the royal armed forces suggests that the latter may have been infiltrated by these terrorist movements. In this context, the national judiciary police unit, with the assistance of the Beni Mellal royal gendarmerie, had arrested a retired sub-lieutenant in the village of Tagzirt and other elements of the same cell were arrested also in El Youssoufia.
It should be noted also that the Sale police had arrested a terrorist cell composed of 19 members and suspected of putting the last touches to an announcement concerning the setting up of an extremist branch of Al-Qaeda in Morocco, on the lines of the Al-Qaeda organization in Mesopotamia. The Rabat appeal court investigating judge has started investigation of the group in question. The police arrests took place in three working class quarters in Sale, namely Hai Arrahma, Hai Achmaou, and Oued Edhahab. Among the most prominent detainees of the group figures was Hasan El Hattab. The latter had already been prosecuted in terrorism-related cases; he had spent two years in jail and he finished his sentence recently.
| | “Hasan El Hattab had signed a commitment to the police that he would not re-offend and would not resume the activities for which he had been sentenced already...” |
Before his release, Hasan El Hattab had signed a commitment to the police that he would not re-offend and would not resume the activities for which he had been sentenced already. However, the police kept a watch on El Hattab and began asking questions about his finances because of the signs of wealth he was showing despite the fact that he had no job and he came from a poor family.
| I don't think this is the very same Hassan al-Hattab that founded GIA and GSPC in Algeria. This reads like he was sentenced in Morocco. |
The police believe that the members of this cell were the authors of the inflammatory statements that excommunicate people and call for violence and terrorism. These statements were signed on behalf of the Moroccan group for unification and combat [al jama'a al maghribia littawhid wal qital], and they contained threats that the blood of several ministers, artists, and intellectuals will be shed. These statements were sent by their authors to the national press through the Internet.
[Description of Source: Rabat Annahar al-Maghribiyah in Arabic -- Moroccan independent daily newspaper] |