Defense lawyers ask for the release of former Moroccan detainees in Guantanamo
Morocco, Local, 9/8/2004

Lawyers in charge of the defense of the five Moroccans formerly detained in Guantanamo, who appeared, here Tuesday, before a magistrate for an Ç in-depth interrogation," have asked for the release of their clients describing as "baseless" the charges against them.

The Five Moroccans were returned on August 1 to the authorities in their home country. They have been held at the US base in Cuba since their arrest in Afghanistan more than two-and-a-half years ago.

Abdallah Tabarek, Mohamed Ouzar, Ibrahim Benchekroun, Redouane Chakouri and Mohamed Mazouz, are sued for "criminal association to prepare and perpetrate terrorism acts, carry out a collective project meant to undermine public order, forgery and use of forged documents and belonging to a banned organization."

According to the defense, "the Moroccan justice is not qualified to try this case" because the acts they have allegedly committed occurred "outside the national territory."

"The trial will be fair only if the accused are let out on bail," the lawyers told the press. They said the conditions of their detention in Guantanamo "constitute a violation of the international treaties and conventions and of Human Rights," adding that the detainees were "subject to different kinds of torture."

Previous Stories:
  Morocco to start on Sep.7 in-depth investigation with five Moroccans formerly held in Guantanamo   (8/13/2004)
  U.S. hands over five Moroccan Guantanamo prisoners   (8/3/2004)
  Attorney of Guantanamo detainees skeptical that Morocco re-admitted 23 detainees   (2/7/2003)

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