RABAT: Suspected militant sympathisers will face trial on May 2 for the murder of two Scandinavian women in Morocco, a defence lawyer told AFP on Tuesday .
The killing of Danish student Louisa Vesterager Jespersen, 24, and 28-year-old Norwegian Maren Ueland in December was deemed a"terrorist" act by Moroccan authorities.Twenty-four defendants will face trial - for charges including promoting terrorism, forming a terrorist cell or causing premeditated harm to persons - in Sale, a city neighbouring the capital Rabat, according to defence lawyer Saad Sahli.
A Spanish-Swiss man who authorities allege subscribed to"extremist ideology" stands accused of helping the four main suspects in the murder, charges he denies. The decapitated bodies of the two victims were found in the High Atlas mountains, where they had been hiking in an area popular with tourists.
A video circulated on social media allegedly showed the murder of one of the women, while Rabat's prosecutor has said the four main suspects appeared in separate footage pledging allegiance to the Islamic State group.The accused however had no contact with the militant group in conflict zones, according to Morocco's anti-terror chief.Foreign visitors were previously targeted in a 2011 bomb blast in Marrakesh which killed 17 people.
Law Law Latest News, Law Law Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Source: The Straits Times - 🏆 8. / 63 Read more »