SALE (Morocco), May 31 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The alleged leader of a militant cell accused of killing two Scandinavian hikers in Morocco admitted to the murders in court on Thursday, saying they were carried out in the name of the Daesh group.
Danish student Louisa Vesterager Jespersen, 24, and 28-year-old Norwegian Maren Ueland had their throats slit while camping in an isolated area of the High Atlas mountains in December.
“I beheaded one of them … I regret it,” former street vendor Abdessamad Ejjoud, 25, told the court, accusing co-defendant Younes Ouaziyad of killing the other hiker.
“We loved Daesh and we prayed to God for it,” he said, wearing a long white tunic.
Twenty-four defendants – facing charges including promoting terrorism, forming a terrorist cell and premeditated murder – appeared in the court in Sale, near Rabat, under heavy security.
Three main suspects, including Ejjoud, are accused of direct involvement in the killings.
In theory, the killers could face the death penalty, but Morocco has had a de facto freeze on executions since 1993.
Nature lovers Jespersen and Ueland shared an apartment and went to Norway’s Bo University, where they were studying to be guides.
They had travelled together to Morocco for their Christmas holidays.
Their lives were ended in the foothills of Toubkal, the highest summit in North Africa, some 80 kilometres from the tourist hub of Marrakesh.
Ejjoud – who had previously been jailed for trying to join Daesh in Syria – confessed to organising the mission to the High Atlas mountains on Dec 12 during which the tourists were killed.
The only foreigner among the defendants is Spanish-Swiss 25-year-old Kevin Zoller Guervos, who moved to Morocco after converting to Islam.
The others come from modest backgrounds, scraping by on odd jobs and living in neglected areas of Marrakesh, the North African kingdom’s main tourist city.
The court set the next hearing for June 13. — NNN-AGENCIES
