Reuters AlertNet Lite - Moroccans attack U.S. targets on 'divine order'-minister

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Moroccans attack U.S. targets on 'divine order'-minister

24 Apr 2007 20:01:34 GMT
Source: Reuters

RABAT, April 24 (Reuters) - Two suicide bombers blew themselves up outside U.S. diplomatic offices in Casablanca this month to carry out a "divine order", Morocco's interior minister said on Tuesday.

The suicide bombings in Casablanca on April 14 were the first in Morocco since suicide attacks in 2003 which killed 45 people, including the 13 bombers.

"A search operation at the home of the two had found several documents with extremist ideology, including a will in which they asserted their intent to carry out the terrorist action to 'execute a divine order and oppose despotism'," Chakib Benmoussa told parliament's upper house, the Chamber of Councillors.

The two attacks by two brothers, Mohamed and Omar Maha, outside the U.S. consulate and the American Cultural Center occurred after four suicide bombers killed themselves in Casablanca on March 11 and April 10.

The two suicide attacks outside U.S. diplomatic offices prompted speculation among analysts that the two brothers may belong to a separate and sophisticated violent Islamist group.

"As far as the April 14 events are concerned, preliminary investigation showed that there is no link with the perpetrators of March 11 and April 10 operations," Benmoussa said.

The bombers killed in March 11 and April 10 were members of cells linked to the radical "Salafist Jihadist" movement in Morocco, Benmoussa said. He did not say to which group the two suicide bombers who targeted the U.S. offices may have belonged.

Benmoussa said Mohamed Maha had threatened last year to attack the state-controlled 2M television station and leading Arabic-language daily Al Ahdath al Maghribia.

Some radical Muslim fundamentalists in Morocco accuse Ahdath and 2M for being anti-Islamist. Both deny the allegation.

A total of 49 people have been detained since March 11 and 31 are in custody awaiting trial, Benmoussa said.

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Last updated:Tue Apr 24 20:03:28 2007