The prosecuting authority asked for the death penalty for the three men who are charged with killing Norwegian Maren Ueland and Danish Louisa Vesterager Jespersen in Morocco.
Prosecutors in the case asked for the law’s strictest punishment for the suspected leader of the cell who carried out the murders, Abdessamad Ejjoud, and the other two who have admitted having been involved in the actual murder.
The men were expected to risk the death penalty, but in practice Morocco has not executed anybody since 1993.
In total, 24 people have been brought to justice in Morocco in connection with the IS-inspired attack. Four men have been charged with carrying out the killings or having been involved in them, a Swiss-Spanish man has been charged with training them, and in addition, 19 men have been charged with adhering to a terrorist group.
Norwegian Maren Ueland (28) from Bryne in Rogaland and Danish Louisa Vesterager Jespersen (24) were found killed near the village of Imlil in the Atlas Mountains in Morocco on Monday 17th of December last year.
The women were on a one-month private journey and were hiking in the mountains.
The trial of the 24 men started in an anti-terror court in the town of Salé outside the capital Rabat in May after several delays.
During the trial, Ejjoud, for whom the prosecutor now asks for the death penalty, said that he regretted what he had done according to VG newspaper.
‘’When I was arrested, the police showed me the other side of IS. To be honest, I’m still confused. I don’t know if I’m still a supporter of IS. I used to love IS, but now I don’t know. All I know is that I regret that I killed the two tourists’’ said Abdesamad Ejjoud.
© NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today
