While Friday's suicide bombings in Casablanca bore the hallmarks of the al-Qaeda network, many ordinary residents of the Moroccan economic capital place theultimate blame on US foreign policy.
"Since September 11, (2001) the Americans have been constantlyseeking to bully and destabilize the whole world," political sciencestudent Mohammed Baadi told journalists late last night.
"Their unacceptable attack on Afghanistan, then the war on Iraq,two countries that are lot weaker than them militarily, led to theattacks of Friday."
Near the Casa de Espana, the Spanish cultural center where atleast 18 people were killed of the some 28 victims of the first suchattacks to hit Morocco, local resident Youssef Slimane said: "Therecomes a time when you have to say 'no' to the United States.
"Morocco didn't do this, and the Muslim population knows thatother Muslims are killed every day in Palestine by the Israeli army,backed by Washington, and recently saw Iraqi brothers crushed byAmerican bombs and their resources looted by Bush's vultures," hesaid.
Residents were skeptical over the assistance offered yesterday byUS President George W. Bush to track down the perpetrators of theattacks.
The US leader did not elaborate, but US government officialssaid sending a team of FBI experts to Casablanca was one availableoption.
In addition to 28 civilians, 13 of 14 suicide bombers werekilled in the string of attacks carried out Friday night.
Hassan Jilali, a Casablanca shopkeeper, scoffed at the offer,saying Bush "sets fires everywhere, openly says he is leading acrusade against Islam and then offers his aid when a country isgripped by flames and violence generated by the United States'disdain for the rest of the world, and especially for Muslims."
Businessman Isham Slaoui agreed, saying: "When the Americans'help' us, we can start to worry. Will we soon see US soldiers onMoroccan soil? ... The Americans will bring us nothing but moreproblems."
Noting that most of the suicide bombers were Moroccans, Slaouiwarned: "It can't go on like this. One day the anger erupts. This isonly the beginning."
AFP