Over 2,000 suspects arrested in Morocco since Casablanca blasts

Moroccan police have arrested more than 2,000 people for suspected terror links since the series of blasts that rocked Casablanca on May 16 last year, Justice Minister Mohamed Bouzoubaa said Tuesday.

Bouzoubaa told a press conference that more than 2,000 suspects, accounting for nearly 90 percent of the wanted, were under investigation or on trial by the judicial department.

The country has also issued international warrants for the arrest of about 30 terror suspects, he said.

The minister said international cooperation was necessary in fighting terrorism, and that a fair solution to the Palestine and Middle East issues would help world efforts against terrorism.

When interrogated, many of the suspects said they share "some emotional connections" with the developments in Iraq, Palestine, and Afghanistan, the minister said.

Morocco launched a nation-wide hunt for the suspects after the May 16 Casablanca attacks. Five simultaneous suicide bombings killed 45 people and wounded nearly one hundred.

As the first anniversary of the bombings approaches, Morocco has held a series of activities to mourn for the dead and reaffirmthe country's determination to root out terrorism.

Source: Xinhua