Five Moroccan Guantanamo prisoners referred to court of appeal

The investigating judge of the court of appeal of Rabat decided, after an in-depth investigation, to refer five Moroccans who were detained in the American base of Guantanamo, to the criminal chamber of the same court, a judiciary source said.

The defendants, who had been arrested by the US military in Afghanistan, were handed over to Moroccan authorities on August 1st.

The police conducted its investigation before referring the five men last August to the general prosecutor at the court of appeal.

They are facing counts of belonging to a criminal band, non-denunciation of crime, harming state security, assistance to a criminal band and participation in the forging of a passport.

The defendants, currently detained in the prison of Salé (near Rabat) do not have any legal record.