Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08RABAT58
2008-01-22 07:25:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Rabat
Cable title:
CONVICTION OF ANSAR AL-MEHDI CELL MEMBERS
how-toVZCZCXYZ0000 RR RUEHWEB DE RUEHRB #0058 0220725 ZNY CCCCC ZZH R 220725Z JAN 08 FM AMEMBASSY RABAT TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8033 INFO RUEHAS/AMEMBASSY ALGIERS 4635
C O N F I D E N T I A L RABAT 000058
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/18/2028
TAGS: PTER PREL PINS AL MO
SUBJECT: CONVICTION OF ANSAR AL-MEHDI CELL MEMBERS
Classified By: Craig Karp for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L RABAT 000058
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/18/2028
TAGS: PTER PREL PINS AL MO
SUBJECT: CONVICTION OF ANSAR AL-MEHDI CELL MEMBERS
Classified By: Craig Karp for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (SBU) In a month long trial, 50 out of 51 defendants in
the sensational Answar al-Mehdi terror cell case were
convicted on January 4 in Morocco's terrorism court in Sale
and sentenced to prison terms ranging from two to 25 years.
The alleged mastermind Hassan al-Khattab and the group's
second in command Yassine El-Ouardini received 25 and 20 year
sentences, respectively. Forty-eight others received
sentences of two to 15 years, according to press reports.
The trial, which was open to the public, had drawn much
attention in Morocco over the last year because of the
group's malicious plans and composition. The network, which
evolved primarily out of Casablanca but also included
recruits from several cities across Morocco had plans to
attack the U.S. Embassy in Rabat and tourist sites, and to
kidnap several Moroccan Ministers. It was composed of many
middle class status individuals, several uniformed members of
the Moroccan Royal Armed Forces and Gendarmerie, and four
women, including two wives of Royal Moroccan Airlines (RAM)
pilots.
2. (C) In an Embassy follow-up interview with the chief
prosecutor in the case, Rabat Court of Appeals
Counterterrorism Chief Yahya El-Hassan described Hassan
al-Khattab as highly intelligent and dangerous. Although the
group has no known linkages to the Algeria-based group
al-Qa'ida in the Lands of the Islamic Maghreb, El-Hassan said
that al-Khattab had hoped to mimic the terrorist exploits of
the group by creating space in Morocco for training and
religious radicalization in addition to executing attacks
against high profile targets. El-Hassan said that the group
had been primarily motivated by its desire to overthrow the
Moroccan Government and replace it with an Islamic one.
However, the group, more broadly, considered all Moroccans
that supported the government to be infidels and therefore,
like Westerners, were considered to be viable operational
targets. El-Hassan added that the two RAM pilots, husbands
of two of the women convicted in the case, were completely
unaware of their wives' activities with Ansar al-Mehdi. Per
normal Moroccan judicial procedures, the vast majority, if
not all, of the convicted individuals will likely exercise
their right to appeal the court's decision. These appeals
are expected to be heard in February 2008.
*****************************************
Visit Embassy Rabat's Classified Website;
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/rabat
*****************************************
Riley
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/18/2028
TAGS: PTER PREL PINS AL MO
SUBJECT: CONVICTION OF ANSAR AL-MEHDI CELL MEMBERS
Classified By: Craig Karp for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (SBU) In a month long trial, 50 out of 51 defendants in
the sensational Answar al-Mehdi terror cell case were
convicted on January 4 in Morocco's terrorism court in Sale
and sentenced to prison terms ranging from two to 25 years.
The alleged mastermind Hassan al-Khattab and the group's
second in command Yassine El-Ouardini received 25 and 20 year
sentences, respectively. Forty-eight others received
sentences of two to 15 years, according to press reports.
The trial, which was open to the public, had drawn much
attention in Morocco over the last year because of the
group's malicious plans and composition. The network, which
evolved primarily out of Casablanca but also included
recruits from several cities across Morocco had plans to
attack the U.S. Embassy in Rabat and tourist sites, and to
kidnap several Moroccan Ministers. It was composed of many
middle class status individuals, several uniformed members of
the Moroccan Royal Armed Forces and Gendarmerie, and four
women, including two wives of Royal Moroccan Airlines (RAM)
pilots.
2. (C) In an Embassy follow-up interview with the chief
prosecutor in the case, Rabat Court of Appeals
Counterterrorism Chief Yahya El-Hassan described Hassan
al-Khattab as highly intelligent and dangerous. Although the
group has no known linkages to the Algeria-based group
al-Qa'ida in the Lands of the Islamic Maghreb, El-Hassan said
that al-Khattab had hoped to mimic the terrorist exploits of
the group by creating space in Morocco for training and
religious radicalization in addition to executing attacks
against high profile targets. El-Hassan said that the group
had been primarily motivated by its desire to overthrow the
Moroccan Government and replace it with an Islamic one.
However, the group, more broadly, considered all Moroccans
that supported the government to be infidels and therefore,
like Westerners, were considered to be viable operational
targets. El-Hassan added that the two RAM pilots, husbands
of two of the women convicted in the case, were completely
unaware of their wives' activities with Ansar al-Mehdi. Per
normal Moroccan judicial procedures, the vast majority, if
not all, of the convicted individuals will likely exercise
their right to appeal the court's decision. These appeals
are expected to be heard in February 2008.
*****************************************
Visit Embassy Rabat's Classified Website;
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/rabat
*****************************************
Riley