Al-Qaeda operatives case: court hears defense witnesses

The Casablanca court of appeal heard on Friday accounts of the defense witnesses in the case of a group of 10 persons suspected of being Al-Qaeda operatives.

The defense heard 25 witnesses while three others could not make their account as two did not produce an ID cards and the third person was absent.

Regarding the summon addressed to the Saudi Ambassador as a witness, the court said it will limit itself to a letter to the court by the diplomat who said he was not notified of the three Saudis' arrest.

The hearing will resume this Feb.18 to hear arguments of the defense attorneys and of the public prosecutor.

The three Saudis and seven Moroccans arrested last June are standing trial for suspicions of plotting to carry out terror acts in Morocco and against western ships in the strait of Gibraltar.

The defendants denied that they are members of Al Qaeda group. A member of the group, Zouhair Tabiti, however, conceded that he met Usama Ben Laden in Afghanistan in 2000 but denied that he bought chemical products to make explosive devices.

The trial was opened last October 28.