US embassy cable - 03RABAT2632

UNCLAS  RABAT 002632 
 
 
S/CT FOR JOE REAP 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PTER, MO 
SUBJECT: MOROCCO: 2003 ANNUAL TERRORISM REPORT 
 
REF: STATE 301352 
 
1.  Post responses are keyed to reftel. 
 
(A) Significant actions taken by host government to support 
the global coalition against terrorism. 
 
The government of Morocco (GOM) continues to provide strong 
support for the global coalition against terrorism. 
Following the May 16, 2003 bombings in Casablanca, the GOM 
acted swiftly in an effort to address perceived shortcomings 
in the Moroccan judicial and security systems to combat 
terrorism.  These measures included enacting legislation 
affording the government a range of stricter measures and 
introducing a series of domestic reforms that will make it 
more difficult in the future for terrorists to operate and 
repeat their earlier attacks.   Specifically, on May 21, 
Morocco,s parliament passed a government-sponsored 
anti-terrorism bill which expands the definition of terrorism 
and related criminal activities, enhances the authority of 
internal security institutions to investigate, track and 
prosecute terrorists in Morocco, including the investigation 
of terrorism financing, and provides for CT cooperation with 
other countries. 
 
Two new bills specifically focused on banking and 
money-laundering are currently under discussion and will 
serve to further enhance the ability of the GOM to address 
terrorist financing.   Parliament is currently studying a 
Banking and Financial Sector bill and Embassy contacts have 
indicated that this bill will likely be passed before the end 
of the current session (January).    The Anti-Money 
Laundering legislation is in the interagency process and 
should be submitted to Parliament by early January.  The 
current session of Parliament may be extended in order to 
ensure the passage of this legislation.  GOM officials have 
asked for U.S. and international technical assistance on 
anti-money laundering and combating terrorist financing. Two 
Department of Treasury Office of Technical Assistance 
Training Missions were enthusiastically welcomed by the GOM 
in June and November 2003 and Moroccan officials have 
requested additional USG technical assistance and training. 
 
(B)  Describe the response of the judicial system to acts of 
international and/or significant acts of domestic terrorism 
during 2003. 
 
The Casablanca bombing on May 16, 2003 claimed the lives of 
45 people and injured over 100. The bombings prompted the GOM 
to move aggressively against internal extremist 
organizations.  As a result of the galvanizing nature of the 
May 16 attacks and the passage of the terrorism law, Moroccan 
authorities detained over  900 suspected Islamic extremists 
and prosecuted over 400 (including 10 who have been sentenced 
to death). 
 
 (C)  Did the host government extradite or request the 
extradition of suspected terrorists for prosecution during 
the year? 
 
The GOM has sought the extradition from Spain of individuals 
suspected of involvement in the May 16 terrorist attacks. 
Following a meeting with his Spanish counterpart, the 
Minister of Justice announced December 10 that Spain will 
soon hand over five Moroccans wanted in connection with these 
attacks. 
 
(D)  Describe any significant impediments to host government 
prosecution and/or extradition of suspected terrorists. 
 
None. 
 
(E)  Discuss host government responses other than prosecution. 
 
The Moroccan Government is fully supportive of the global war 
on terrorism. Following the Casablanca bombing King Mohammed 
VI addressed the nation and said Morocco would remain 
faithful to its international commitments to fight terrorism. 
He also reminded the nation that jihad was "an effort to 
disseminate good rather than spread the seeds of discord or 
murder" and that tolerance "is one of the characteristics of 
Islam, which forbids bloodshed."  The King also promptly 
condemned the recent terrorist attacks in Istanbul. 
 
GOM authorities have tried to address the root causes of 
extremism, beginning a nationwide literacy campaign 10 days 
after the attacks and launching new housing projects in poor 
neighborhoods. 
 
Morocco is actively engaged in the Barcelona 5 5 process, 
which among other goals seeks to increase security in the 
Euro-Mediterranean area by reducing trafficking in persons 
and narcotics, and impeding the movement of terrorists into 
the region. Following Spanish PM Jose Maria Aznar's visit to 
Morocco in December, the two countries announced joint sea 
patrols to curb trafficking and prevent terrorism. 
 
 The Department of State and Department of Homeland Security 
Customs have a robust Anti-Terrorism Assistance Program 
designed to assist Morocco better protect its borders. 
 
(F)  Describe major CT efforts undertaken in 2003 by the host 
government, including steps taken in international fora. 
 
Morocco has thus far ratified ten of the twelve UN 
Conventions/Protocols on terrorism.  The conventions 
remaining to be ratified are the Convention against the 
Taking of Hostages and the Convention for the Suppression of 
Terrorist Bombings.  The remaining conventions are on track 
for full ratification.  As recently as January 2003, the GOM 
announced that it had ratified two additional UN Conventions 
on Terrorism in 2002 (Convention on the Physical Protection 
of Nuclear Material and the Convention for the Suppression of 
the Financing of Terrorism).   Morocco sent four officials 
from the Ministries of Defense, Interior and Foreign Affairs 
to a USG-sponsored counterterrorism seminar in Bamako, Mali 
in October. 
 
(G) Describe any significant host government support for 
international terrorism, terrorists, or terrorist groups. 
 
None. 
 
(H)  Has the host government made any public statements in 
support of a terrorist-supporting country on a terrorism 
issue? 
 
No. 
 
(I)  Describe any significant change since 2002 in the host 
government,s attitude towards terrorism. 
 
The May 16 terrorist attacks in Casablanca and the subsequent 
investigations that led to the arrest of more than 900 
suspects and the prosecution of over 400 people for terrorism 
and acts of sedition shattered the myth in Morocco that 
terrorism was a phenomenon that affected other countries and 
could never happen here. 
 
 
BUSH