France denies French terrorist suspect's allegations he worked for French intelligence
Morocco-France, Local, 9/9/2003

The French interior ministry denied on Monday remarks by French terrorist suspect, Pierre Robert, currently standing trial at the Rabat court of appeal in connection with last May's terrorist attacks in Casablanca, that he worked for the French intelligence.

The French interior ministry, "surprised by these allegations, officially denies them," says an official release of the ministry that recalled that "the French national, currently sued in Morocco in connection with the probe on the Salafia Jihadia networks, pretended he was repeatedly approached by the French DST."

The Frenchman, standing trial together with a group of 34 codefendants, told the court he wrote for the French intelligence several reports on the activities of Algerian Islamic extremist groups in France and in Belgium.

Also, the attorneys of French suspected terrorist, Pierre Robert alias "Lhaj," alias "Abu Abderrahmane," who is sued in connection with the terrorist attacks that hit Casablanca last May, denied statements attributed to them that their client was "tortured and raped" during his preventive detention.

The attorneys, Moroccan Abdelfattah Zahrach and French Vincent Courcelle-Labrousse, told reporters at the court of appeal in Rabat where the man is being prosecuted together with a group of 34 codefendants they have never made remarks of the kind to the media.

However, they said the statements that were attributed to them are those of their clients.

Also, Robert, who is being sued in connection with the terrorist attacks that hit Casablanca last May, told magistrates he had collaborated with the French intelligence.

The defendant, the first foreigner to stand trial in connection with the terrorist attacks, told the court of appeal of Rabat he had written reports for the French intelligence services on activities of Algerian Islamic extremist groups in France and Belgium.

Pierre Robert rejected all the charges held against him, including counts that he underwent training in Afghanistan on weapon handling and explosive manufacturing. He said the nicknames of "Lhaj" and "Abu Abderrahmane" attributed to him are actually those of another person being sought and that the nickname he is holding since his conversion to Islam is "Yaacoub."

He also recounted to the court how he embraced Islam after having read several books on Islam, including books by Roger Garaudy, and after his stay in Turkey and Pakistan, MAP reported.

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