CAIRO — Morocco has reported the capture of an Al Qaida cell.
Security sources said Moroccan authorities have arrested nine Al Qaida
operatives over the last week. The sources said the operatives were part of
an Al Qaida cell that planned attacks in France, Italy and Morocco.
The Moroccan state news agency MAP said Al Qaida identified several
targets in Europe and North Africa, Middle East Newsline reported. MAP cited a church in Bologna and a
commuter train station in Milan. Other Al Qaida targets included French
intelligence headquarters in Paris and the U.S. consulate in Rabat.
"The nine suspects, arrested and brought before the Rabat appeals court
recently, are accused of setting up a criminal gang to prepare and execute
terrorist attacks within the framework of collective plot," MAP said.
In 2003, Al Qaida was blamed for a series of coordinated suicide strikes
in Casablanca that killed 45 people. The North African kingdom arrested
about 6,000 suspected Islamic insurgents in wake of the bombings.
The latest plot was said to have been endorsed by Al Qaida network
leader Osama Bin Laden. The attack plans were modeled on the Madrid train
bombings in March 2004 in which nearly 200 people were killed.
The pro-government Moroccan daily Al Alam reported that a Tunisian
national, Mohammed Bin Hadi Msahel was a major member of the latest Al Qaida
insurgency cell. The newspaper said Msahel traveled from his home in Italy
to Algeria and Morocco to recruit bombers. He was said to have been arrested
in Italy.
Al Alam said Msahel traveled to Algeria and met the Al Qaida-aligned
Salafist Brigade for Combat and Call. The newspaper said Msahel reviewed the
planned attacks with Salafist leaders.attack.
