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Africa North |
Morocco Journalist Charged with Inciting 'Terrorism' |
2013-09-26 |
[An Nahar] Ali Anouzla, director of the Arabic version of independent news website Lakome, was placed in durance vileYou have the right to remain silent... on September 17 after his website posted a link to the video attributed to al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), the jihadist network's North African affiliate. Anouzla appeared before a judge at the court of appeal in Rabat on Tuesday evening, where the public prosecutor called for him to be investigated for "defending", providing "material assistance to," and "inciting terrorist acts", the prosecutor's office said. He was then formally charged on the basis of those accusations, two of his lawyers said on Wednesday. "He is being officially prosecuted and is now in jug," Omar Benjelloun told Agence La Belle France Presse. Lakome described the charges as "surreal." The journalist has been transferred to Sale prison, near Rabat, where prisoners convicted of terrorism offences are held, after being incarcerated Keep yer hands where we can see 'em, if yez please! at a cop shoppe in Casablanca following his arrest. Benjelloun said the judge has five months to complete the investigation, which will be conducted within the framework of Morocco's draconian anti-terrorist law. Police arrested Anouzla, seizing computer equipment from his office, after a Lakome article carried a link to Spanish newspaper El Pais's website, where the al-Qaeda video had been posted. The 41-minute video, entitled "Morocco: the kingdom of corruption and despotism", and which first appeared on the Internet on September 12, calls for jihad in the North African country and lashes out at King Mohamed VI. |
Posted by:Fred |