Morocco pleads for broader international counter-terrorism cooperation

Moroccan Interior minister, Al Mostafa Sahel, has called for a larger international cooperation to avoid the appearance of new spots of terrorism, notably in Sahel countries, underlining the urgency of an international action.

"We hope their will be an international coordination to prevent new Afghanistans. If we act immediately, we still have time to stop it from happening again," said the minister in an interview published Monday by "El Pais."

Sahel said since the Afghanistan war, elements of Al-Qaeda have migrated to countries with vast territories not easily controllable. These elements, he noted, "receive funds through smuggling and the organization of illegal immigration networks."

Evoking the terrorist attacks that hit Madrid last March 11, the interior minister hailed the reaction of the Spanish society.

"Despite its suffering, the Spanish society was able to make the distinction between assassins, regardless of their nationality, and Moroccans who live and work peacefully in Spain and who share the Spanish people's pain," he said.

Answering a question on whether there is a connection between Madrid attacks and the terrorist bombings that rocked the Moroccan city of Casablanca in May 2003, Sahel said "on the basis of the available elements, I would say no."

"We should wait for the final findings of the ongoing investigation in Spain to give a final answer."

Concerning the alleged involvement of some Moroccans in Madrid attacks, Sahel explained that terrorist organizations recruit from the Moslem community that is well established in the target country, as it was the case of French-Algerians in the attacks against France in the 90s and Saudis in New York attacks in 2001.

"Does it means that Algeria or Saudi Arabia should be accused of exporting terrorists?," he asked, saying analysis that tends to blame terrorists' countries of origin "make us forget the essential: fighting together with a growing efficiency against terrorism."

Sahel explained that the young Moroccans, alleged authors of Madrid attacks, live legally in Spain and were probably indoctrinated under the supervision of Al-Qaeda representative in Spain, Syrian Imad Eddine Barakat Yarkas. When they were living in Morocco, he said, they have never caught the attention of security forces for political-Islamist activities.

"As a Moroccan, I deplore that some of my compatriots took part in this atrocity," he went on.

Sahel assured that Moroccan-Spanish cooperation has never stopped despite a period of strains in bilateral relations, adding the meeting of King Mohammed Vi of Morocco last April with Spanish Prime minister, José Luis Rodriguez Zapatero gave a fresh impetus to relations between the two countries.

In spite of what you qualify as 'long diplomatic crisis,' cooperation has never stopped because it is vital for our two countries that some issues "not be paralysed or delayed," he stressed.

The Moroccan minister praised in particular cooperation between security services of the two countries, rebuffing certain comments on the dissatisfaction of Spanish authorities over the collaboration of their Moroccan peers in security issues.

Sahel noted that information available to Moroccan security services concerning radical Islamists in Spain "have always been immediately communicated to their Spanish counterparts," saying it is more than ever necessary to be aware of the urgency to act jointly.

The minister also highlighted Morocco's efforts to fight radical Islamists, that emerged after the return in the eighties of youngsters who fought Soviet forces in Afghanistan, and who brought with them extremist ideas and erroneous interpretations of the religion.