Virtual Magazine of Morocco on the Web
Morocco Week in Review 
April 14 , 2007

U.S. Commemorates 50 Years of Partnership in Morocco.
WASHINGTON, April 19 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/

The U.S. Government recently celebrated 50 years of partnership in development with the Government of Morocco. U.S. and Moroccan officials recently marked the occasion in ceremonies in Morocco and in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. On April 2, 1957, the United States initiated a program of economic and technical assistance to Morocco. Since then, the American people have invested over $2 billion in the human, economic, and institutional development of Morocco.

Under its long partnership with the Moroccan Government, the U.S. has helped change Moroccan lives for the better, working with government agencies, civil society organizations, and the private sector. Over the 50-year relationship, the most notable successes have come in agriculture and agribusiness, health, primary education, housing and urban development, microfinance, small and medium enterprise growth, and water management.

Earlier this week Randall L. Tobias, Director of U.S. Foreign Assistance and U.S. Agency for International Development Administrator, and Moroccan Ambassador Aziz Mekouar commemorated the partnership at the ambassador's residence in Maryland. "Fifty years ago, Morocco was a very different place from the country we know today," said Tobias. "The pull of the cities has meant that Morocco is no longer rural. Water systems help mitigate against drought. Potable water and electricity are found in most homes. The massive expansion of the country's education infrastructure means that children and adults both have access."

Noting that Morocco and the United States have moved "from a traditional assistance relationship to one based on mutual benefit and interdependence," Ambassador Tobias also observed that the relationship considerably exceeds 50 years. "In fact, 230 years ago Morocco was one of the first states in the world to acknowledge publicly the independence of the American Republic in 1777," he said.

The cooperation continues, with the mutual goal of building an educated, democratic Moroccan nation that is competitive in the global marketplace. A ceremony last week in Rabat, the Moroccan capital, was attended by American and Moroccan officials, including Her Royal Highness Princess Lala Miriam, U.S. Ambassador Thomas Riley and Washington, D.C. based USAID Sr. Deputy Assistant Administrator for Asia and the Near East Mark Ward. For more information about USAID's programs in Morocco, please visit: http://www.usaid.gov/locations/asia_near_east/countries/morocco
http://sev.prnewswire.com/health-care-hospitals/20070419/DCTH15419042007-1.html
-----------------------------------------------------

International youth theatre festival held in Morocco
20/04/2007

The 8th International Theatre Festival "Jeune public" is being held Thursday (April 19th) through Saturday in Taza, Morocco. The event is organised by the Moroccan ministry of culture and gathers troupes from Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Tunisia, Algeria, Belgium, Holland and Iran. In addition to theatre performances, the programme includes exhibitions, a book caravan and round tables on topics related to youth theatre.
http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/newsbriefs/general/2007/04/20/newsbrief-06
-----------------------------------------------------

Moroccan farmers confront drought, poor harvests.
By Sarah Touahri – 19/04/2007

With their confidence bolstered by last year’s successful harvest, many Moroccan farmers chose to reject agricultural insurance policies and are now turning to the state to protect them from heavy losses due to drought. A severe drought in combination with Morocco's poorly developed irrigation systems has devastated the country's agriculture this year. Rainfall levels this year are at 50% of the average and grain production is expected to reach only half of last year's levels.

Abdellatif Sedrati, a crop farmer, told Magharebia that despite recent rains the harvest is certainly doomed. Of his 170 hectares, 70 are not irrigated. "They are already lost. I’ve spent close to 100,000 dirhams on inputs alone --seeds, sowing and fertilizer. Even the irrigated acreage which is largely reserved for sugar beet cultivation will not yield a good harvest," he said. The drought has also affected livestock. Rancher Abderrahim Khyati claims that feed prices have risen beyond what livestock farmers can bear; a hay bale costs nearly twice as much as last year.

In response, Morocco has launched a 104 million dirham emergency aid plan for livestock farmers affected by the drought. The emergency response is part of an action plan adopted by the government in February to support agriculture. The plan bolsters protections for the livestock industry and assures seed supplies for the next planting season.

Ahmed Ouayach, president of the Moroccan Agricultural Federation, said that while a measured response is important, aid must be awarded and disbursed with due haste. Part of the budgeted funds will provide timely compensation to farmers with insurance. Many, however, such as Abderrahman Masoudi, do not have insurance. "Last year was good. I decided it wasn’t necessary to sign up for drought insurance," he said. Faced with this "catastrophe", he is on the verge of despair and does not know what to do.

The government's action plan addresses agricultural concerns in other areas as well. Mechanization and increased access to financing for such improvements are two of the Ministry of Agriculture's main priorities. Morocco's level of mechanization is low and micro-irrigation systems which save water are rare. The government has said that it may pay up to 100% of costs associated with improving agricultural infrastructure for irrigation and intensive farming practices, particularly for fodder crops. For other improvements and inputs, the Ministry of Agriculture has promised easy terms for debt repayment and announced that Credit Agricole will provide services to ensure that financing is more accessible. Part of this effort involves creating regional companies which will provide financing to some 800,000 farms which are currently ineligible for bank loans.

In the meantime, the Moroccan government expects cereal imports to soar up to 4 million tonnes this year. Half a million tons of barley will be fully subsidized in order to help cattle farmers, and 25% of additional imports will be subsidized. The government will assist with transport costs for certain grains and water, and it has cut the taxes and duties for barley and corn. As a final measure, the government will guarantee jobs to some 700,000 farmers through land works schemes in drought-stricken areas.
http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/features/2007/04/19/feature-01
-----------------------------------------------------

Global Environment Facility chips in USD 43.2Mn to build thermo-solar plant east.
Rabat, Apr. 20

The Global Environment Facility (GEF) granted Morocco's electricity utility (ONE) a USD-43.2Mn donation as partial funding for building a thermo-solar plant in the region of Ain Beni Mathar eastern Morocco. With a capacity of 472 MW, the plant will be operational by early 2009, according to ONE general manager, Younes Maamar. The plant will be financed by GEF, the African Development Bank and the Moroccan electricity utility. The plant was first designed to produce a capacity of 230MW. In July 2006, the parties involved in its construction agreed to double this capacity, owing to the rapidly growing demand, Maamar said. The grant convention was signed by the ONE general manager and the director of the World Bank bureau in Rabat.
http://www.map.ma/eng/sections/imp_economy/global_environment_f/view
-----------------------------------------------------

WB grants Morocco over USD 43Mn to build ISCC Power Plant.
Washington, Apr.20

World Bank's Board of Directors approved, here Thursday, a USD 43,2Mn grant to Morocco to build an Integrated Solar Combined Cycle Power Plant (ISCC). Located in Ain Béni Mathar (eastern Morocco) -about 80 kms to the South of Oujda- the plant will have a 472 MW capacity, 20 MW of which are generated thanks to solar energy. It will be ready by 2012 and generate some 3,538 Giga Watts/Hour per annum, said a document of the WB. This plant that is to cost USD 568Mn will be co-financed the Moroccan Electricity Office (ONE), the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the African Development Bank (AfDB).

This project responds to Morocco's urgent need for new power generating capacity as the government seeks policies to diversify the power generation mix, to reduce the country’s energy dependence and to integrate into regional and EU markets. The GEF, established in 1990, helps developing countries fund projects and programs that protect the global environment. The independent financial organization grants support projects related to biodiversity, climate change, international waters, land degradation, the ozone layer, and persistent organic pollutants.
http://www.map.ma/eng/sections/imp_economy/wb_grants_morocco_ov/view
-----------------------------------------------------

Morocco has a very rich alternative energy potential at reach, Magazine.
Paris, Apr. 17

Thanks to Morocco's 3,500km-long coastline and an average wind speed of 7 to 8 m per second - that reaches 11m/sec sometimes, the kingdom has a very rich alternative energy potential at reach, wrote Jeune Afrique International weekly in its latest edition. The French-language magazine said Morocco is the third windiest country on earth, noting that the Kingdom, whose electric consumption flares up 9% a year, depends on renewable energies to protect the environment and reduce oil expenses. According to JF, development prospects for offshore solar and wind energy production are so encouraging in Morocco. It added that the country “dreams” today of becoming a clean energy production platform for Europe, South and West Africa.

As 27 EU countries have just committed themselves, early March, to consume 20% of renewable energy by 2020, Morocco also made a “cleanness vow” and authorities decided to increase the use of renewable energies to contribute, by 2012, 10% to the national energy balance and 20% to the national electric production, the publication added. Moroccan Minister of Energy and Mining, Mohamed Boutaleb had said last week that wind-generated electricity would represent 10% of Morocco’s energy by 2012 and 15% by 2020. “This rate is very high compared to some European countries,” he explained in an interview with French-speaking weekly Maroc Hebdo.

Morocco has set, part of its energy development policy, a plan aiming to diversify energy sources and development of renewable energies. The National Plan in this field includes new projects to produce electricity from solar and wind energies. The Plan aims to provide services of sustainable energy in the rural world, equip 150,000 houses, construct 1,000 energy houses, and efficiently manage energy consumption by the industrial sector.
http://www.map.ma/eng/sections/economy/morocco_has_a_very_r/view
-----------------------------------------------------

Morocco plans to build $1b LNG terminal.
Reuters Rabat

Morocco, the only North African state with no oil of its own, plans to build a liquefied natural gas terminal as part of a drive to diversify energy supply to fuel its strong growth, its energy minister said. "The investment needed to set up the terminal and its related transport network is estimated at $1 billion and will be financed by local and international investors," Mohammad Boutaleb said. The terminal, to import natural gas liquefied and shipped in tankers, will have an initial capacity of 3 billion cubic metres. It will boost the share of gas in Morocco's energy supply basket from less than 3 per cent to 20 per cent. "The LNG terminal aims at diversifying Morocco's energy sources and multiplying reception facilities to ensure more energy supply security," he said.
http://archive.gulfnews.com/articles/07/04/20/10119422.html
----------------------------------------------------------

19% of magistrates in Morocco are women, conference.
Cairo, Apr. 20

There are 590 women magistrates in Morocco, i.e.19% of the total number of Moroccan magistrates (3,114 magistrates), according to figures released at a Moroccan-gyptian conference, held Thursday in the Egyptian capital. Speaking at a meeting about women's access to the Justice sector in Morocco, first Supreme Court public prosecutor, Fatima El Hallak said the increasing number of women working in the justice sector has had positive impact on the legal system, notably in terms of human rights respect.

Touching on women's distribution in this sector, she noted that women constitute 44.17% of the criminal chamber staff, 26.10% at the trade chamber, 15.6% at the civil chamber and 5.2% at the administrative, social and personal status chambers. According to these figures, 387 women work in first instance courts as deputy-presidents, deputy public prosecutors or in the central administration of the justice ministry.
http://www.map.ma/eng/sections/imp_social/19_of_magistrates_i/view
-----------------------------------------------------

Illiteracy rate down 4,5% in 2006, national survey.
Rabat, Apr. 19

Illiteracy rate has decreased by 4,5% in 2006 compared to 2004, said the government spokesman, Nabil Benabdallah quoting a national survey. Speaking at a press briefing following the weekly cabinet meeting, Benabdellah indicated that illiteracy rate stood at 38,45% for the category of 10 year olds and over, while 15% of the category 9 to 14 year olds do not go to school. According to the survey, urban areas show 27,2% of illiteracy rate, while the rural milieu shows 54,4%. In this regard, the State Secretary for Literacy and non-Formal Education, Anis Birou, revealed that literacy programs have benefited around two million people in the 2002-2005 period.

The minister, who was addressing the third national seminar on non-formal education, pointed out that schooling benefited 93% of the category between 6 and 11 year olds, and 300,000 children benefited from non-formal education, 24,000 of whom were integrated in formal education. He added that the generalization of schooling has been followed up and assisted by pre-schooling programs, to ensure success to all students, in particular the poor.
http://www.map.ma/eng/sections/social/illiteracy_rate_down/view
-----------------------------------------------------

Moroccan NGO awarded 'National Honorary Energy Globe' prize.
Rabat, Apr. 18

The Mohammed VI Foundation for the Protection of the Environment, chaired by Princess Lalla Hasna, sister of King Mohammed VI, has been awarded the "National Honorary Energy Globe" prize by the European Parliament for its "Qualit'Air" program. The "Energy Globe" prize is awarded to worldwide projects based on the principle of rational exploitation of resources or the use of sustainable energy sources. The "Qualit'Air" programme aims, first and foremost, at launching awareness-raising and training campaigns benefiting all actors, a press release of the foundation indicated. The prize was handed to the Foundation by the European Parliament president, Hans-Gert Poettering, and the founder of the "Energy Globe" Initiative, Wolfgang Neumann.
http://www.map.ma/eng/sections/social/moroccan_ngo_awarded/view
-----------------------------------------------------

Rural electrification rate reaches 88%, minister.
Rabat, Apr. 18

4,741 Moroccan villages benefited from electrification in late 2006 compared to 2,004 in 2002 that is a 88% electrification rate, revealed Minister of Energy, Mohammed Boutaleb. Over 27,000 villages have benefited from the Rural Electrification Global Program (PERG), since its launch in 2006, Boutaleb said, Tuesday, during the House of Advisors' question time. The minister pointed out that the current pace of rural electrification would help endow around 36,000 villages with electricity by the end of this year. This goal will be achieved through joining the national network (up to 91%) and through decentralized electrification, mainly using photovoltaic kits (up to 7%), he noted.

With the aim to improve the rural population’s lives, PERG is part of a regional development strategy, based on a global vision, which revolves on three axes, namely generalizing electricity over the territory, integrating available techniques and mobilizing all financial resources possible in a participative and contractual approach.
http://www.map.ma/eng/sections/social/rural_electrificatio7963/view
-----------------------------------------------------

Morocco earmarks USD 461Mn to develop rural development projects in several provinces, minister .
Ifrane (center), Apr. 16

Morocco earmarked about MAD 3.8Bn (USD 461Mn) to fund 18 integrated rural development projects (DRI) in several provinces, said, here on Saturday, State Secretary in charge of rural development, Mohammed Mohattane. "These multi-dimensional projects concern 20 provinces and over a hundred rural communes and are to benefit 1.5 million people," said Mohattane during an international conference on "Public policies facing the specificities of mountainous spaces."

Covering an area of 2 million ha, these 3.8Bn (USD461Mn) projects consist in upgrading irrigation agricultures, protecting natural resources, intensifying animal and vegetal production, training and developing the local population, as well as building basic infrastructures and equipments. According to the minister, the (DRI) projects are conducted in partnerships with local populations, with the aim to strengthen the large-scale poverty fighting National Initiative for International Development (INDH), which "offers real opportunities for the mountainous zones."

The INDH allotted a sum of MAD 2.5 Bn (USD 303Mn) that benefited the poorest 403 communes in Morocco, most of which belong to mountainous zones, Mohattane went on to say. For his part, minister of Agriculture, Mohand Laenser said that adopting laws is not enough to develop mountainous areas, calling for a “specific handling of development-related problems in these areas.”
http://www.map.ma/eng/sections/social/morocco_earmarks_usd_1/view
-----------------------------------------------------

Volunteers trek Morocco for children with disabilities. 
By Megan Reynolds  Thursday 19th April 2007

THE highest peak in North Africa will be tackled by dedicated volunteers raising money for the disabled children they work with. Up to 20 volunteers, parents and swimming instructors, who help at a Friday night swimming club for disabled children and their families, want to raise £5,000 for the Redbridge charity which runs the club: FISSSC (pronounced "fish" - Families in Support of Special needs Swimming Club). They are preparing to climb mount Jbel Toubkal in Morocco over a long weekend in June to fund days out at theme park Drayton Manor and Stubbers adventure centre.

FISSSC's ethos is to challenge disability through adventure. Chairwoman Laura Kelly said: "It gives them opportunities they just wouldn't have otherwise. We have a holistic approach and work around the children. "A lot of the children have autism and we are able to give them one-on-one support." The swimming club is the only one of its kind in the area and has been running for over 20 years with the help of committed volunteers aged 14 to 20.

Miss Kelly said: "They are a remarkable group of young adults, and we are all really looking forward to the trek."Some of them have never been outside of the country before so for them it is an incredible chance to see a different culture and for many of them it will be a life-changing experience. "It will be a super trip, we are all really looking forward to it, it will be challenging but it will also be the most rewarding thing we have ever done." She added: "Every donation, no matter how large or small, makes a difference, so please sponsor us and help us make a difference." FISSSC volunteers log on to http://www.justgiving.com/fisssctrek.
http://www.guardian-series.co.uk/display.var.1340388.0.0.php
-----------------------------------------------------

Dutch cheese to be made in Morocco. Tuesday 17 April 2007

Dutch cheese exports take on a new flavour this autumn with the opening of a traditional cheese-making business in the Sahara. After learning the craft of cheese-making at a farm in Noord-Holland, Montassir Menouar is to return to the Moroccan town of Jerada to oversee a new cheese-making enterprise there. The project is intended to provide jobs in the north-eastern region of Morocco. http://www.dutchnews.nl/news/archives/2007/04/dutch_cheese_to_be_made_in_mor.php
-----------------------------------------------------

Morocco publishes century of legal records online.
By Adam Mahdi – 20/04/2007

The Moroccan government published the entirety of its legal bulletins on the Secretariat General's official website. Available in Arabic and French, the database covers nearly a century of legal texts. In a move towards greater access to legal texts in Morocco, the Secretariat General of the Government of Morocco (SGG) has published the complete legal texts of its Official Bulletins (OB) online in both Arabic and French.

The database, which can be accessed through the Secretariat General's website at www.sgg.gov.ma, compiles all legal texts published since 1913, covering a period of more than 93 years. The importance of the government project stems from the fact that the database is bilingual. Both French- and Arabic-speaking Internet users can search by keyword or by date to identify the legal text they require. "Having legal information freely available online makes our job much easier when it comes to giving legal and tax advice to businesses," remarked Ali Hamidouch, a certified public accountant from Casablanca.

Professionals also appreciate the fact that future Official Bulletins will be automatically posted online. "Access to real-time online updates and the print copy will allow professionals and legal practitioners to follow the evolution of legal rulings in the kingdom much more closely," added Hamidouch. In addition to posting OB archives, the new SGG government portal allows Internet users to consult the planning schedules of the Council of Ministers and the government. This makes it easier to follow the legal projects under way in the kingdom’s various ministerial departments at any given time. For example, anyone with internet access can now examine drafts of the press code currently being prepared at the Ministry of Communication.

Both businesses and public servants can consult the SGG database for advice on how to interpret current rulings on public procurement. This information is crucial for any private sector operator wishing to work with public organisations. The Secretariat General’s online legal access project is part of a larger national programme known as "e-government". Approximately one hundred administrative services can now be accessed online. The project includes aptly-named sites such as e-justice, e-finance, e-property, e-Social Security (CNSS) and a database of publications by the Moroccan Office of Industrial and Commercial Property (OMPIC). A detailed list of these e-government services is published at http://www.idarati.ma/Services.asp.
http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/features/2007/04/20/feature-01
-----------------------------------------------------

Essaouira (southwest) holds 7th "Printemps Musical des Alizés".
Essaouira (southwest) Apr. 20 (MAP)

The 7th edition of "Printemps Musical des Alizés" kicked off on Thursday in the Southwestern seaside city of Essaouira, featuring several musicians and singers who are to perform unforgettable classics from the international musical repertoire. Organized by the Alizés Foundation, this four-day festival has taken its place as one of the major international music festivals and will be an occasion to fill Essaouira with symphonic rhymes played in 20 concerts by distinguished musicians. It will also allow music lovers to indulge in the bewitching music of Brahms, Mendelssohn, Schubert, Mozart, Messiaen, Ravel and others.

A Choral in Arabic, Hebrew, and Latin, specifically written for Morocco and Essaouira, will be introduced this year for the first time in the festival. In addition, the "youth talent festival" will give the chance to Moroccan and foreign young performers to participate in the public a Three-Cultures Choral, a yearly music joy tradition for the public. This year's edition will also feature several musical groups such as La Folia, Accroche Note, le Quatuor Talich et Sibra Octet as well as diversified music backgrounds ranging from Yiddish, Latin, Opera, to Classical music.
http://www.map.ma/eng/sections/box5/essaouira_southwest8564/view
-----------------------------------------------------

Employment promotion agency helps young people enter the labour market.
Text and photos – 20/04/2007

The Moroccan state employment agency works with jobseekers, employers and entrepreneurs to facilitate the country's labour market. The organization is young but has placed more than 31,000 Moroccans in jobs and plans to expand and improve its services. At the National Agency for the Promotion of Employment and Skills (ANAPEC) in Rabat’s Agdal district, young people carefully examine job postings on the wall. Some note down the details they need and then approach staff to ask for further information.

Amale Bahraoui, a young business management graduate, says she comes here at least once a week. It has been almost nine months since she graduated, but she has still been unable to find a steady job that lives up to her expectations. She did find one six months ago through ANAPEC but the position's monthly salary of 1600 dirhams ($200) was not to her liking. She has returned to the agency to find a new job with higher pay.

Next to her, Salaheddine Kamali, an economics graduate, is also trying to find a job that matches his background. This is the first time he has visited the agency and he hopes to find a job as soon as possible. "I didn’t have much faith in ANAPEC’s services but a lot of my friends have found jobs through it", he says confidently. On the first floor, four members of the staff are responsible for searching for and handling job offers from employers and matching jobseekers with positions. They greet and give guidance to jobseekers. They also advise young entrepreneurs on their business plans.

Hafif Kamal, ANAPEC’s general manager, explained that this state-run organisation offers a wide range of services to jobseekers, employers and entrepreneurs. It helps jobseekers by putting them into their database of candidates and it helps employers by providing them with potential applicants from its national database and advertising open positions free of charge. ANAPEC also compiles an initial shortlist of candidates for employers according to criteria agreed upon in advance. The agency helps entrepreneurs with their business plans and assists foreign companies in hiring Moroccan staff.

Thousands of Moroccans have already travelled to Spain to work in a variety of sectors such as agriculture. By the end of 2006, ANAPEC had found jobs for 31,000 people. It has 400 experienced advisers and 10,000 businesses among its clients. In 2006 the agency identified over 6,000 job training opportunities as part of a special drive. The Moukawalati programme saw the opening of 70 helpdesks, expressions of interest from 11,000 project sponsors, 2,600 projects shortlisted and 800 submitted to banks.

It is anticipated that ANAPEC will find positions for 38,000 jobseekers this year. "2007 looks to be shaping up well," Kamal told Magharebia. The agency’s action plan for this year focuses in particular on supporting its job promotion programme, under which it plans to help 200,000 young graduates find jobs by 2008. ANAPEC's own development plan comprises five main areas: expanding and modernising its network of offices, developing high-quality pilot schemes and management, increasing the professionalism of its services, opening up the agency to partners, and motivating staff to improve their performance. One hundred new jobs are expected to be created within the organisation.

A total of 189m dirhams will be needed to achieve these objectives (112m for operations and 77m for investment), representing an 85.7% increase over last year’s spending. In 2007, the ANAPEC network will expand to comprise some fifty local offices.

Hamdane Bencherif, a Rabat business manager, says he is currently seeking trainees from ANAPEC. He believes this will give him the opportunity to test candidates before hiring them. However, the agency has measures in place to protect trainees. Currently the maximum training period is eighteen months, after which the company has to offer a permanent post. If the agreement is broken, the employer is obliged to inform ANAPEC within 48 hours. Training salaries can vary between 1600 and 4500 dirhams.

Some trainees are unhappy when companies offer only the minimum salary. Salim Kartouchi, an IT graduate, tried three companies. "They all offered the same: 1600 dirhams a month. I didn’t accept because that doesn’t even cover my travel expenses," he said. Hakima Souiri, a law graduate, disagrees. In her view the most important thing is to enable young people to get a foothold in the job market. "At the beginning, the salary doesn’t matter. What’s important is the experience, which helps you find a better job later on," she told us.
http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/reportage/2007/04/20/reportage-01
-----------------------------------------------------

After suicide bombings, Morocco looks within.
By Ian Fisher, Friday, April 20, 2007 CASABLANCA, Morocco

In just over a month, six young men have blown themselves up in Morocco, sparking intense worry in a nation that has largely escaped local terrorism while exporting scores of fighters to Iraq. But apart from the bombers themselves, only one person was killed - a blessing but also a puzzle. "I am very happy that they didn't kill anyone else, no friend and no enemy," said Abed Maha, 61, the grieving and baffled father of two men who exploded themselves near the American Consulate last Saturday. "They were the only victims." Nonetheless, deep uncertainties have left the government in a state of "extreme alert" over whether this peaceful and moderate Muslim society faces a new terror threat against its own government or tourist sites.

In an interview Thursday, Interior Minister Chakib Benmoussa took a careful line, playing down some fears while raising others. So far, he said, there appeared to be no links between the Morocco bombers and Al Qaeda or the attacks in Algeria, where militants have formally attached themselves to Al Qaeda. And in the second incident in one week, near the American Consulate last Saturday, he said, the bombers seemed to go out of their way to avoid other casualties. But he also said the bombers seemed to have come from two groups, not one, as originally reported here. That means that, within a few days, two distinct groups showed themselves capable of making powerful suicide belts and carrying out attacks.

In short, the Qaeda ideology, with the availability of easy bomb-making recipes on the Internet, appears to be growing deeper roots here. Moreover, Benmoussa said that the main cell uncovered recently, composed of about 40 people, was aimed at hitting government institutions or sites frequented by tourists, even if it had no concrete plans to do so immediately. "We are aware that they will try again and again," Benmoussa said. "We are now in some kind of race where we have to remain very vigilant, with a very high level of security."

In the recent incidents, five of the men detonated themselves last week, coinciding with attacks across the border in Algeria that killed 33 people in the deadliest bombing there in years. Many terror experts have thus worried about a more focused intention of Al Qaeda, which took responsibility for the Algeria attack, to disrupt northern Africa.

Morocco hit just once before, in 2003 in coordinated attacks that killed 33 bystanders and 12 bombers is at full attention: The American consulate closed, amid tightened security at other consulates, hotels and police stations. Security forces man the highways, searching cars and slowing traffic. "Morocco is in a state of extreme alert and this situation prevails as much in Casablanca as in other cities and sensitive zones in the country," the communications minister, Nabil Benbdellah, said in Rabat, the capital, on Wednesday.

Skeptics said the government has an interest in minimizing any local connections with Al Qaeda or to jihad in Iraq, so as not to scare away the foreign investment and tourism. Even if the Moroccan bombings were not related to Al Qaeda or the attacks in Algeria, they nonetheless stand out. Terror exports said that in recent years the focus of Moroccan extremists has been on recruiting fighters for Iraq, as earlier generations of other militants went to Afghanistan and Bosnia. Indeed, security officials here estimate that 50 Moroccans have gone to Iraq, many as suicide bombers, with two dozen coming from a single city, Tetuoan, in the north.

"The only goal of these cells and the network is to force these regimes to let them do what they want to do, which is to recruit people for Iraq," said Mohammad Darif, an expert on Islamic terror groups at Hassan II University here. "They want to fight there." But Benmoussa said that while groups do exist to recruit for Iraq, the larger cell uncovered here last week was focused internally. In fact, he said, investigations show it was a remnant of the group that carried out the 2003 attacks here that hit foreign hotels and Jewish sites. He said the police began following the group in February, and police pressure led to the explosion of one militant, apparently by accident, in an earlier episode, in a cyber café on March 11.

Then, five weeks ago, a group of young men all from the shantytown of Sidi Moumen to the city's north rented a room in the Hay Farah district here. Their landlady said they paid $280 in advance for two months, prompting some suspicion for not disputing the price. "The didn't negotiate," said the landlady, Jama'a, 65, who would give only her first name. She said they did not seem religious and kept to themselves, except when a stream of young men came in and out. On April 10, the police raided the building, and in the confrontation, three men blew themselves up, one killing a policeman, and a fourth was shot and killed.

In contrast to the Algeria attacks last week, these bombs went off during a police raid, not in a planned attack. The bombs, too, were unlike those in Algeria, where plastic explosives were reportedly used. The bombs here were homemade, of acetone and cleaning supplies, the authorities said. Four days later, in a nation with already jangled nerves, came an attack of a kind that had not yet been seen in Morocco: That Saturday morning, just before 9 a.m., two men blew themselves up near the American Consulate here and an American-owned language school. But the bombs did not go off directly at either place, raising questions about exactly what the bombers had intended.
http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/04/20/news/morocco.php ##########################################################################

These postings are provided without permission of the copyright owner for purposes of criticism, comment, scholarship, and research under the "Fair Use" provisions of U.S. Government copyright laws and it may not be distributed further without permission of the identified copyright owner.  The poster does not vouch for the accuracy of the content of the message, which is the sole responsibility of the copyright holder.