Morocco expands laws against Islamist fighters

Rabat: Morocco’s government has presented a new law criminalising training with extremists with the intent to commit terrorist acts.

The law, which will go before parliament in October, seeks to stem the tide of Moroccans fighting with extremist groups in places like Syria, Iraq and, in previous years, Mali.

Those convicted of seeking out training camps will face five to 15 years in prison and fines of between $5,800 (Dh21,303) and $58,000, according to the draft law announced by the government late Thursday.

After Tunisians, Moroccans are the largest group from North Africa joining the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, with at least 1,200 fighting in Syria and Iraq.