Briton denies links with Moroccan extremist movement
Morocco-UK, Local, 8/13/2003

Jansen Anthony Perry, a British national currently sued for alleged links with Salafya Jihadya, a banned Moroccan extremist group, on Tuesday denied such connections.

Perry, who was heard by the criminal chamber of the court of appeal court of Fez, admitted, however, having married a 17-year-old girl, which is banned under Moroccan law.

Perry, who was assisted in trial by a university English teacher, told the court he came to Morocco to evade British justice in a case of illegal sale of computers and drugs, to learn Arabic and know a Muslim country.

In the beginning, he said, he had chosen Mauritania before finally opting for Morocco, as he had a Moroccan girlfriend in Britain.

Jansen Anthony Perry, who is sued for belonging to a criminal gang, incitement to violence and attempt to morality, said he stayed twice in Morocco, back in September 2002 and last June.

He first went to Tangiers, then stayed in Ksar El Kebir (north-western Morocco), Fez and Casablanca, before going back and settling in Fez. What made him choose the spiritual capital is "the hospitality of its people," he said.

The man came to know several persons in the city and married Fatima Zohra, a 17-year-old relative of one of them. He also bought two houses in Fez. He admitted having received friends that he met in Friday prayers. They discussed as various questions as Islam, Jihad (holy war), immigration. Perry has once seen with a Fqih (Islamic Scholar) a video on the life of the Chechen leader, Hattab.

However, the Briton goes, his relationships with these individuals remained superficial because of his bad Arabic.

Perry said he visited Chechnya in 1999, Afghanistan in 2001, Azerbaidjan and Pakistan. He noted that these visits were motivated by "his will to know Muslim communities and countries."

As to the terrorist attacks that rocked Casablanca last May 16, killing 44 people including 12 suicide bombers, he said he was in jail in England on May 16.

Answering a question on whether he has sustained violence during his arrest or custody, Jansen Anthony Perry said the violence he has sustained was moral and psychological, and that the people in charge of questioning him had a very bad English.

Born in London, 37-year-old Perry, embraced Islam in 1994. He was arrested on June 8 at the Fez airport and jailed in a Fez Jail, pending trial in Rabat then in Casablanca. He appeared before the court for the first time August 04.

Previous Stories:
  Bus carrying Moroccans diverted in Spain   (8/12/2003)
  Casablanca attacks: french Perec acquitted   (8/11/2003)
  Extremist group sentenced to 7 to 20 years in jail   (8/11/2003)
  British national stands before investigating judge over may 16 bombings   (8/2/2003)

Please add a link on your webiste pointing to ArabicNews.com and bookmark ArabicNews.com & subscribe to our daily email news bulletin.

Search