Belgian terror suspect held in Morocco

21 November 2005

BRUSSELS — A Belgian national of Moroccan ancestry was among the 17 suspected terrorists recently arrested in Morocco on suspicions of links to al-Qaeda.

Moroccan authorities in the capital Rabat said on Sunday the arrests dismantled a radical Islamic terrorist network, Flemish newspaper ‘De Standaard’ reported. The arrests were carried out at the start of November.

Security services have held a main suspect under surveillance since March 2005. The Moroccan man studied theology in Syria and entered Morocco in June 2005. He also travelled frequently to Turkey.

On 29 September, he was joined by another suspect, a Belgian national of Moroccan descent. The Belgian is also alleged to have spent time in Syria and to have close links with Muslims from the Magreb countries.

The Belgian Foreign Affairs Ministry has not confirmed the arrest of the Belgian national.

The suspects are alleged to have travelled to Morocco to recruit volunteers to set up a terrorist network. Besides al-Qaeda, the group is alleged to have links with radical Muslims active on the Syrian-Iraqi border, broadcaster VRT reported.

The suspects are alleged to have recruited two Moroccans who were arrested in 2001 in Pakistan and Afghanistan. They were detained at Guantanamo Bay, before being returned to Morocco last year. Both are currently free.

Subject: Belgian news