Hearing of two alleged members of group involved in Casablanca bombings

The appeal court of Casablanca started Thursday the hearing of two alleged members of the fifth group of Hassan Taoussi that is involved in May 16 deadly attacks in Casablanca.

Hassan Taoussi, 23 years old, admitted that he knew about four bags full of explosive materials and that the attacks' masterminds gave him extinguishers full of explosives and lighters to blow them up.

He also confessed that he had for a mission to explode Farah Hotel in Casablanca along with three other suicide-bombers, noting, however, that he did not obey orders and that instead of putting the bag inside the hotel he decided at the last minute to leave it in a taxi station.

Taoussi also acknowledged that he took part in a training on explosives manufacturing and participated in stealing a bank. He added that he attended several times lessons related to "Salafia Jihadia" group, organized by Mohamed Fizazi and watched with other suicide-bombers films on paradise and hell in the eve of the attacks.

The defendants are prosecuted for the setting up of a criminal gang, undermining the state's interior security, sabotage and murder, premeditated sabotage attempt and complicity in violent acts that led to permanent disability.