Terrorism 'bringing in many a horror', spokesman

Terrorism is an "international phenomenon bringing in many a horror" and through ages and time manifested in various forms, sai Monday Moroccan communication minister and government spokesman, Nabil Benabdellah.

At a conference on "media and terrorism," Benabdellah stressed terrorism carries ideas that "we cannot share, for they are contrary to the civilisation project we wish for all humanity."

The conference was held part of the international photo exhibit on "terrorism and freedom" sponsored by the "Diplomacy and Global Risk" NGO and held previously in several countries. The event is held in Morocco on the occasion of the commemoration of the May 16, 2003 terrorist attacks in Casablanca that left 45 dead including 12 bombers.

The Moroccan official said the exhibit "helps to impress more the striking and shocking images," for there is need to mobilise to prevent the recurrence of such violence.

A DVD showing stills of the horrors of perpetrated terrorist acts, namely 9/11 in the United states, March 11 in Spain, May 16 in Morocco, and in other countries like Kenya, Phillipines, Egypt, France, Pakistan, Indonesia, TurkeyÉ was played during the conference.

Benabdellah said terrorism is an exclusion phenomenon that cannot be ignored and every one must fight "the very roots of this phenomenon and the foundations that lie behind these criminal acts."

Terrorism is an "ideological straying away" that affects a number of religious, ideological and political values, he said stressing that "the enemy is not Islam but terrorism" and that there is need to "highlight the values of peace, tolerance and overture upheld by Islam." On the occasion of the second commemoration of the May 16 attacks, Benabdellah told the 2M TV channel "Morocco succeeded in mobilising and responding to the horrible acts" and the country will spare no effort to face attempt to harm its values.

The terrorist attacks "wanted to jeopardise the society project we want, namely the building of a modern democracy in our country," Benabdellah said.