Morocco: Muslims Extremists Kill 40 in Series of Attacks on Westerners

[Real American]

One of the places that was bombed was the Belgium consulate. Wasn't there someone from this website who is from Belgium and who codemned America's war on terror? How do you feel now? This should prove that Muslims just want to kill anyone who is white and Christian.


http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tm...id=515&ncid=716


World - AP Africa
 
40 Killed As Terror Blasts Shake Morocco
36 minutes ago  

By NICOLAS MARMIE, Associated Press Writer

CASABLANCA, Morocco - Suicide attackers set off explosions at the Belgian consulate, a Jewish community center, a Spanish social club and a hotel in the heart of Casablanca, killing at least 30 bystanders and about 10 attackers, officials and witnesses said Saturday.


AP Photo


AFP  
 Slideshow: Casablanca Terrorist Bombings

 
   

The five nearly simultaneous bombings also wounded at least 100 people, the official Moroccan news agency MAP said Saturday, and threw Morocco's largest city into chaos.


The attacks came just days after U.S. officials warned that Osama bin Laden (news - web sites)'s al-Qaida network was planning a worldwide series of terrorist attacks. On Monday, a series of suicide bombings in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, killed 34 people — including eight Americans — at three foreigners' housing compounds.


The FBI (news - web sites) knows of no Americans killed in the Morocco attack, bureau spokesman Bill Carter said. At least six Europeans — two Spaniards, two Italians and two French — were killed, according to the chief of medical services at the Azerroes Hospital, Said Ouhalia.


Three suspects in Friday's bombings, all Moroccans, were arrested later that night, MAP said. The agency cited Interior Minister Mostapha Sahel as saying 41 people were killed, including about 10 attackers.


Decapitated bodies and smashed cars littered Casablanca's streets. Walls were peeled back and some buildings partially leveled. Alone in the wreckage, a woman howled in anguish. Later, hundreds of curiosity seekers and relatives rushed to the scene seeking information.


The blasts apparently occurred just after 9 p.m., officials said. Joanne Moore, a State Department spokeswoman in Washington, said no American government offices were targeted.


The assailants carried out the carnage with precision, witnesses said. Three of them entered the restaurant in the Casa de Espana social club after slitting the security guard's throat with a large knife, employee Lamia Haffi told Spanish National Radio.


Then two attackers detonated explosives, she said.


"We had just been served paella, and they were calling out the numbers," said Mohammed Zerrouki, a medical technician having dinner and playing bingo with his friends. "Then, `Boom!' a first blast — it was like a thunderclap,"


Social club owner Rafael Bermudez told The Associated Press that one bomber then blew himself up under a tent where clients, including several Spaniards, were seated.


"I heard the bombs and then everything started burning," Bermudez told Spanish National Radio. "Everyone was on the ground and there was blood everywhere. It was horrible."


The Spanish Embassy in Rabat estimated there were 18-20 dead at the restaurant bombing.


A U.S. counterterrorism official in Washington said late Friday there were no immediate claims of responsibility or any clear indications of who carried out the bombings.


However, al-Qaida involvement was plausible and the group maintains a presence in Morocco, the official said on condition of anonymity.


The attacks bore many al-Qaida hallmarks: multiple, simultaneous strikes; suicide assailants; and lightly defended targets.


"They were terrorists, suicide bombers," Interior Minister Mustapha Sahel said. "These are the well-known signatures of international terrorists."

   



The German government on Saturday urged its citizens to watch out for terrorist threats in Morocco after the blasts. A Foreign Ministry travel advisory called for "heightened vigilance," especially around tourist sites and places of worship.

The blasts damaged a Jewish community center and cemetery, the Belgian consulate, the Spanish restaurant and the Hotel Safir. The community center was closed at the time, said Mohammed Aithammou, the owner of a nearby cafe.

Belgian Foreign Ministry spokesman Didier Seeuws told the Belgian news agency Belga that the consulate was damaged heavily. He said two policemen outside the building were killed and a security guard was hospitalized.

Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt said a Jewish restaurant across the street from the consulate likely was the target.

"The lessons to draw from the events in Saudi Arabia and now in Morocco is that we, Europeans and the United States together, will have to work on the causes of terrorism," Verhofstadt said.

The motive for the bombings was unclear. Morocco has been a staunch U.S. ally, but expressed regret that a peaceful solution to the Iraqi crisis could not be found. Spain supported the U.S.-led war against Iraq (news - web sites) but Belgium opposed it.

U.S. counterterrorism officials warned Thursday of a coordinated effort by bin Laden's network to hit targets worldwide. They cited the Saudi bombings as well as threats in Africa and Asia.

U.S. and British authorities warned of threats in East Africa, particularly Kenya, and in southeast Asia, especially Malaysia. American officials also received an unconfirmed report that a possible terrorist attack may occur in the western Saudi city of Jiddah.

U.S. Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz said Saturday the blasts were not a surprise.

"The terrorists are still there. They are still dangerous," he said. "They want to take Arab Muslim people backward ... but I do not believe that that is where the great majority of Arabs and Muslims want to go."

In Morocco, municipal elections were delayed in April over concerns of growing Muslim fundamentalism.

Sahel, the Moroccan interior minister, said his country would not be intimidated.

"The Kingdom of Morocco will never surrender to terrorists and will not allow anyone to disturb its security," he said.

The Moroccan public turned out in large numbers for protests against the Iraq war, including one in the capital Rabat in March that drew 200,000 people.

King Mohammed VI, who was scheduled to travel to site of the blasts, had expressed concern the war could rouse the country's Islamic fundamentalist movement.

Casablanca, which has 3.5 million people, lies 200 miles southwest of Spain on North Africa's Atlantic coast.

Three Saudis were arrested in Casablanca last year, and sentenced to 10 years in prison by a Moroccan court, for an al-Qaida plot to attack U.S. and British warships in the Straits of Gibraltar.

Al-Qaida has suffered serious blows in recent months, including the capture of alleged Sept. 11 mastermind Khalid Shaikh Mohammed. But senior al-Qaida leaders were believed to be hiding in Pakistan, Afghanistan (news - web sites) and Iran, U.S. officials said.

___

Associated Press Writer John J. Lumpkin in Washington contributed to this report.



 

[King Tech Quadafi]

While the actual perpetrators of these retarded attacks might be Muslim, Im sure the peeps behind it arent. These attacks are so counter productive, why the fuck dont people realize this? Before u scream Jihad, and strap some explosives to your chest, fix your own life up and your country. With every attack, Muslims suffer more and more

[mauzip]

While the actual perpetrators of these retarded attacks might be Muslim, Im sure the peeps behind it arent. These attacks are so counter productive, why the fuck dont people realize this? Before u scream Jihad, and strap some explosives to your chest, fix your own life up and your country. With every attack, Muslims suffer more and more

MUAHAHAHAHA! damn, you're full of shit..

[Immortal]

too bad and tragic..let us mourn for the victims then

[KING VerbalAssaulta]

this is a good example of what muslims are about  

[DaSchizophrenic1]

this is a good example of what muslims are about  

Yes, and Timothy McVeigh's actions show what all white people are about right? Stop making stereotypical comments.

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

this is a good example of what muslims are about  

Yes, and Timothy McVeigh's actions show what all white people are about right? Stop making stereotypical comments.

Timothy McVeigh is one out of a billion...You don't hear about that happening everday, do you?

[DaSchizophrenic1]

Ok but the problem is that there isnt only 1. I can argue that Hitler,Stalin, McVeigh, Ted Kazinski, Mussolini, Robespierre, Heinrich Himmler, etc....all represent the white people and that all white people are like them.
You see you cant just say that all muslims are extremists, there's some in that are and then there's a lot that arent.

[Woodrow]

this is a good example of what muslims are about  

Yes, and Timothy McVeigh's actions show what all white people are about right? Stop making stereotypical comments.

Thing is, Timothy McVeigh has at MAX, a following of 5,000 to 7,500 people. I'm guessing nearly half of them when push comes to shove wouldn't do what he did...

Osama and his pals are on t-shirts all over the middle east and he's known as a folk hero. His actions are always apologized for and people seem to think that he's doing some sort of "good" for the religion of Islam. I don't know any exact numbes but I'm willing to bet that support for osama and his actions are in the millions.

Comparing the 2 just isn't smart...

[DaSchizophrenic1]

I dont know if you meant that millions support his attacks or that they would actually take part in attacks. My point wasn't to compare the two to see who is more evil or has more power, MY POINT WAS THAT YOU CANT STEREOTYPE AN ENTIRE GROUP ESPECIALLY AN ENTIRE GROUP OF RELIGIOUS FOLLOWERS WHICH NUMBER 1 BILLION IN THE WORLD. ALL 1 BILLION ARENT EXTREMISTS.THATS ALL IM SAYING.

[Quakaveli]

Before u scream Jihad, and strap some explosives to your chest, fix your own life up and your country.

[DaSchizophrenic1]

Before u scream Jihad, and strap some explosives to your chest, fix your own life up and your country.

[Don Rizzle]

yea u can't stereotype all muslims i know some who are safe as fuck, but the i have also experienced some who arn't, its the extremests and the preachers of hate that need to be sorted out. but i can't see that happening for many years it needs an entire cultural change from both the western community and those from the middle east. in the meantime everywhere is gonna be turning into militant states as we become more security conscious, basically the world is getting very fucked up!

[DaSchizophrenic1]

yea u can't stereotype all muslims i know some who are safe as fuck, but the i have also experienced some who arn't....basically the world is getting very fucked up!

[Quakaveli]

Before u scream Jihad, and strap some explosives to your chest, fix your own life up and your country.

(Smokin dat veiny pole)