Swiss-Spanish man arrested in attack on tourists in Morocco
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Tributes are placed in memory of two Scandinavian university students who were killed in a remote area of the Atlas Mountains in Morocco, at the Town Hall Square in Copenhagen on Friday. Norwegian Maren Ueland and Dane Louisa Vesterager Jespersen, were killed near Imlil in Morocco during a trekking trip.
RABAT, Morocco >> Moroccan authorities have detained a Swiss-Spanish man for suspected links to Islamic extremists who allegedly killed two Scandinavian hikers.
The Central Bureau of Judicial Investigations said in a statement the man was detained today in Marrakech. Moroccan counterterrorism forces allege he taught social media skills and archery to some suspects in the deaths, Morocco’s first terrorist attack in years.
The statement says he is also suspected of involvement in recruiting Moroccans and sub-Saharan Africans for “terrorist schemes” targeted at “foreign interests and security forces.” It did not identify him or provide details.
Twenty people have been arrested so far in the investigation of the slayings of the women hikers, one Danish and one Norwegian, in the Atlas Mountains. Their bodies were found Dec. 17.
Authorities believe their killers are affiliated with the Islamic State group.
