Trial of suspected al-Qaeda operatives put off again

The appeal court of Casablanca decided on Tuesday evening to delay to Thursday the trial of a group of persons accused of belonging to a dormant cell of Al-Qaeda group.

The court will be looking in its session into formal flaws related to the court new composition.

The defense said last Friday it was surprised by the change of judges and renewed its requests over flaws in the arrest procedure, the preliminary investigation, the minutes writing and the preventive detention period. They also said the suspects were not arrested red-handed and there is no material evidence in the case.

The trial, opened last October 28, is looking into charges of preparing terrorist acts in Morocco and against western ships crossing the Gibraltar strait held against three Saudis arrested last June.

The police investigation concluded that the three Saudis also had Moroccan accomplices.