Moroccan police have rounded up 19 alleged Islamic militants in a new sweep of suspects in a string of deadly, near-simultaneous suicide bombings in Casablanca, a government prosecutor said this afternoon.
The roundup last night raised to 50 the number of suspects detained in the investigation into the May 16 bombings, which targeted Jewish and Spanish sites in Morocco's largest city and killed 31 people along with 12 attackers.
The 19 suspects, aged 17 to 40 and all Moroccan, are suspected of belonging to a banned militant Islamic group and "complicity and attempts of assassination," state prosecutor Abdallah Alaoui Belghiti said.
Officials believe at least eight of the suspects arrested Thursday were considered to be "reservist" suicide bombers who were planning new attacks in several tourist towns and cities in Morocco, he said.
If convicted, the suspects could face the death penalty.
On Tuesday, Moroccan police arrested a Frenchman in connection with the attacks. Pierre Robert, 31, was the first foreign suspect taken into custody.
Authorities in the North African kingdom say an international terrorism ring was behind the attacks. Investigators have been probing the relationship between the bombers and extremist groups like Salafia Jihadia, which has been linked to Osama bin Laden's al-Qaida network.
All 50 suspects are believed to be members of the secretive Salafist movement, and were said to have attended secret meetings on jihad or holy war.
Most of the suspects are believed to have had contact with Abdellahk Bentassir, known as Moul Sebbat, who was said to have coordinated the Casablanca bombings.
Bentassir died in custody after being arrested late last month. Authorities said he had suffered from heart disease and died on way to a hospital.
Also today, US FBI Director Robert Mueller arrived in the southern city of Agadir to meet with Moroccan King Mohammed VI as part of a swing through the region to discuss the fight against terrorism.