PARDONS FOR TERRORISTS?

C O N F I D E N T I A L RABAT 000517 SIPDIS NOFORN SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA/MAG, DRL E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/15/2011 TAGS: PHUM PGOV PINR MO SUBJECT: PARDONS FOR TERRORISTS? REF: A. 06 RABAT 01579 ¶B. RABAT 00451 Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission, Wayne J. Bush, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Summary: In Morocco, the granting of royal pardons substitutes for a parole system. The issue of royal pardons for Islamic extremists is beginning to receive public attention in Morocco. The recent Casablanca suicide bomber was among those imprisoned after the 2003 bombing then released in a pardon in 2005. Others formerly in prison for ties to the 2003 Casablanca bombing and subsequently pardoned have been named in the press, but have not been arrested by the Moroccan security forces for participating in recent "terrorist" activity. The public is beginning to criticize the pardon procedure, while the press is beginning to discuss the "radicalization" of prisoners while in prison. Meanwhile, there is little evidence of "rehabilitation" of imprisoned extremists. End Summary. ¶2. (C) The granting of royal pardons is one of the ways the Moroccan population expects to celebrate notable events, for example the recent birth of the king's daughter, Khadija, or the Muslim holidays, 'Eid al-Fitr and 'Eid al-Adha (reftel B). The names of those pardoned is not listed, although initials are sometimes used. Regardless, the press has maintained that pardons have been granted to extremist Muslims ("Salafists"). Only following the "re-arrest" are names mentioned. ¶3. (C) The latest royal pardon of those identified as extremists by the press was after the birth in March of Princess Khadija (reftel B). The first royal pardon of publicly identified Salafists from the post 2003 Casablanca bombing arrests occurred in April 2005; however, the number was not published. For all of 2005, 315 Salafists were pardoned or received reduced prison sentences. In November 2005, 164 Salafists were pardoned. In April 2006 in honor of 'Eid al-Mawlid, the prophet's birth, 55 Salafists received pardons. In addition during the same month, 345 Salafists completed their prison sentences, the courts acquitted 174 Salafists, and released twenty on bail. By September 2006, the press reported that there were 600-700 Islamic extremists still in prison. Annassir, the nongovernmental organization assisting the families of "Islamists," said there were 426 in prison. The Government of Morocco (GOM),however, does not provide a number of "Salafists" or "Islamists" in prison. ¶4. (C) In August 2006 (reftel A),police arrested the leader of the Ansar al-Mehdi group, Hassan Khatib, who was identified as one of the extremists who had been originally arrested following the 2003 Casablanca bombings; he received a royal pardon in 2005. Abdelfettah Raydi, the suicide bomber who died in the March 11 altercation at the Sidi Moumen (poor area of Casablanca) internet cafe, had also been arrested after the 2003 bombing and pardoned in 2005. As of March 19, Moroccan security forces have arrested eighteen people known to have associated with Raydi, and, they are looking for six more, according to press reports. Of those arrested, seven had also been arrested following the 2003 bombing incident. The press mentioned only Abdelatif Amrine's name, who had originally been sentenced to thirty years, but was granted a royal pardon because of poor health. Six others arrested served their three to five year sentences following the 2003 bombing. ¶5. (C) The Directorate of Prisons, a division of the Ministry of Justice (MOJ),may well be criticized in the future for allowing certain individuals to be pardoned. M'hammed Abdennabaoui, the former director of prisons, was recently promoted to the position of Director of Penal Affairs and Pardons Department. This department oversees public prosecutors, changes in the legal codes, and, importantly, makes recommendations to the king about possible pardons. Abdennabaoui, known as a reformer in the MOJ, may well be the person to change the pardon system. His predecessor was promoted to the Supreme Court. ¶6. (C) Comment: To date, there has been some grumbling, but no direct critique of the government for releasing terrorists nor of the royal pardon system. With 'Eid al-Mawlid approaching (April 2),it remains to be seen if there will be a royal pardon. Royal pardons, which function in place of a ore systematic parole system do have a positive esult, relieving at one swoop the endemic overcrowding in the prisons, but this is not widely apprciated. The possibility of the prisons being placs where people are indoctrinated into extremist ideology has been an ongoing Mission concern, but we have not gained much insight as to what, if anything, the government might be doing about it. In conversations so far, they claim to be doing something, albeit not actively. The problem has just begun to be mentioned in the press, which could lead to closer government attention. We will seek to follow-up. End Comment. ****************************************** Visit Embassy Rabat's Classified Website; http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/rabat ****************************************** Riley