Group of eight individuals referred to investigating judge, in connection with terrorism probe

The public prosecutor referred this Tuesday to the investigating judge of the Casablanca court of appeal another group of eight individuals, aged between 20 and 40, in connection with the probe on last May 16 string of terrorist attacks in Casablanca.

The court general prosecutor, Abdellah Alaoui Belghiti, said in a statement the interrogation of persons arrested revealed that this new group are members of a terrorist group supervised by French national Pierre Robert Alias "Lhaj" Alias "Abou Abderrahmane." The French man who was arrested on June 03 in Tangiers is the major link in the terrorist organization that groups all the members of the Tangiers and Fez cells.

The attorney said the eight individuals form "the hardcore" in a terrorist scheme to attack sensitive sites in Morocco in order to sow discord and instability in the country.

With this new group, the number of persons referred so far to the investigating judge reaches 100.

The magistrate also announced that another group of individuals suspected of being involved in the preparation of terrorist attacks were arrested and will stand before the general prosecution once the investigation is completed.