Over 40 killed in Morocco blasts

The UAE yesterday condemned the suicide blasts that rocked the Moroccan city of Casablanca on Friday night, killing over 40 Moroccan citizens and expatriates.

In a cable of condolence to King Mohammed VI of Morocco, President His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, re-affirmed the UAE solidarity with Morocco and also expressed full support to all measures adopted by the kingdom to safeguard its security, stability and ultimately combat terrorist acts aimed at the country.

The stability and security of Morocco, said Sheikh Zayed, is part and parcel of the greater security of Arab countries.

"On my own behalf, and on behalf of the government and the people of the UAE, I would like to express my heartfelt condolence on the loss of innocent lives during the criminal explosions that occurred in Casablanca on Friday night.

"We condemn such heinous and criminal acts in the strongest possible terms, which are aimed at innocent civilians, whether Moroccan nationals or expatriates.

"Such acts must be strongly condemned not only because they are perpetuated against the kingdom and aimed at its stability and security – which is a main component of our wider security – but also because they are cowardly acts perpetuated against the entire humanity as well as against every lofty human value that we uphold and deem noble," said Sheikh Zayed in his cable of condolence to King Mohammed.

In Morocco's biggest city Casablanca, a Jewish centre and a Spanish club were among the targets of Friday night's attack on an Arab kingdom with historically close ties to the United States.

Morocco said latest figures showed 41 people had been killed in the bombings and about 100 injured. Officials said the figures were "almost final".

But Al Jazeera television late last night reported the toll had risen to 46. Three French nationals, two Spaniards and an Italian were reported killed.

"The acts perpetrated in Casablanca are the work of blind international terrorism. Morocco is determined to punish terrorist acts without mercy," said Hassan Aourid, a spokesman for Morocco's King Mohammed.

No group has claimed responsibility for the bombings, but the apparently coordinated nature threw suspicion on Osama bin Laden's Al Qaida network.

"The doorman, poor thing, they cut his head off, like this, with a big knife...then they left one, two bombs," said an official at the Casa de Espana club, popular with Spanish business people and diplomats.

Official MAP news agency said the suicide bombers carried out five attacks and that as many as 10 of the dead might have been assailants.

Two policemen were killed outside Belgium's consulate, which bore the brunt of a blast apparently aimed at a Jewish-owned restaurant opposite, embassy staff in the Moroccan capital Rabat said.

Yesterday, Bush said in his weekly radio address: "The enemies of freedom are not idle and neither are we." He said the United States was hunting Al Qaida suspects around the world.

Officials said the bombers struck the Hotel Farah – also known by its former name Hotel Safir – in the old city, a Jewish community centre, a Jewish-owned Italian restaurant and the Casa de Espana club. Another attack was apparently aimed at a Jewish cemetery.

Officials said three Moroccans had been arrested – one of them a suspected bomber.

Horror and condemnation of the bomb blasts that ripped through Casablanca poured in from around the world as leaders vowed the attacks would not derail the global fight against terror.

From Riyad to Rome, Kabul to Brussels, world leaders expressed their revulsion and outrage at the bomb attacks.

The United States said yesterday it would help Moroccan authorities find those responsible for suicide bombings. "The White House condemns the attack," an official said, adding: "The U.S. government will assist Moroccan officials in finding those responsible."

Meanwhile, a Saudi-owned weekly reported that Al Qaida has threatened to deliver devastating blows to the United States and Israel, "The next strikes will stun the Americans and Israelis," Abu Mohammad Al Ablaj, "coordinator of the Al Qaida-affiliated Mujahedeen Training Center," said in an e-mail published by London-based Al Majallah on Friday.

"The upcoming strikes will throw the enemy off balance. They will target the rear of the snake (the United States), which Abu Abdullah (bin Laden) said should be hit," Ablaj wrote.