Reuters AlertNet Lite - Morocco arrests Islamists in anti-terrorism swoop

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Morocco arrests Islamists in anti-terrorism swoop

12 Dec 2008 16:39:20 GMT
Source: Reuters

RABAT, Dec 12 (Reuters) - Moroccan police have arrested several Islamists on suspicion of links to Jihadist cells, including some suspected of plotting bank raids to finance weapons buying, the Interior Ministry said on Friday.

Staunch U.S. ally Morocco already holds more than 1,000 Islamists in its jails on terrorism-related charges.

The government says it has broken about 60 terrorist cells since 2003, when a chain of suicide bombings in the commercial capital Casablanca killed 45 people.

"Security forces have arrested several people from Islamist circles," the ministry said in a statement, adding that the arrests were made in several cities throughout the country.

Five of the arrested were suspected members of a jihadist cell which was preparing to set up a guerrilla training camp and plotting bank heists to fund arms buying, it added.

The ministry gave no further details and did not reveal the exact number of people detained and when they were arrested.

Government officials declined to comment on the case. (Reporting by Lamine Ghanmi; Editing by Katie Nguyen)

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