Morocco murders: 15 charged with terrorism

Ueland Murder suspects under the flag of the Islamic StateUeland Murder suspects under the flag of the Islamic State. (Screendump / Twitter)

In the first hearing, 15 people were charged with terrorism following the murders of a Norwegian and a Danish woman in Morocco. Another seven must appear before the court later.

The 15 were presented in the case’s first court hearing on Sunday against a judge responsible for terror-related matters. There, the prosecuting authority was in favor of taking preliminary terrorist charges against the 15.

The charges include the establishment of a group that prepared and committed acts of terror and deliberate murder. Three of the 15 are also charged with encouraging others to commit terrorist acts.

Another seven arrests in the case will be presented to the judge during the coming days, a statement from the prosecuting authority states.

Among the 15 who met in court Sunday was a man with Swiss and Spanish citizenship residing in Morocco. He was arrested in Marrakech on Saturday, suspected of having given any of the suspects for double-drilled training in the use of communication tools and shooting training, the prosecution said on Saturday.

Four people are designated as the main suspects. They were arrested in Marrakech and accused of belonging to a cell inspired by the IS ideology, the country’s anti-terrorist Abdelhak Khiam informs AFP news agency.

None of the four have had contact with IS members in Syria or Iraq, he continues.

The leader of the cell is designated as the 25-year-old street vendor Abdessamad Ejjoud.

Norwegian Maren Ueland (28) from Bryne in Rogaland and Danish Louisa Vesterager Jespersen (24) was found killed in a hiking area near the village of Imlil in the Atlas Mountains in Morocco on Monday 17 December.

© NTB scanpix / #Norway Today