Rabat – Hafida El Makssaoui, the lawyer of the 24 suspects linked with the killing of two Scandinavian tourists near Imlil, has said that the suspects are expected “to admit the crimes they are accused of.”
The lawyer told Moroccan television channel 2M that today’s session would be just a hearing, and the verdict will not be pronounced.
She added that the defense team will be asked for the sentences to be reduced before the suspects admit to the crime.
The list of the suspects includes four main perpetrators, who posted a video pledging allegiance to ISIS leader Abu Bakr Al Baghdadi just a few days after the murder.
Read Also: Four Suspects in Imlil Murders Face Multiple Charges
The suspects will appear before the Sale Court of Appeal today again after their trial was postponed on May 2. The decision to postpone the trial was made to “give the defense lawyers time to prepare.”
The defendants are facing multiple charges. The list of charges includes, using weapons and attempting to manufacture explosives, and plotting to undermine national security.
The suspects’ will also face charges of gang violence, terrorism, and intentional manslaughter.
Read Also: Imlil Murders: Morocco Confirms Conviction of Second Swiss Suspect
The list of the 24 suspects includes one Swiss defendant and 23 Moroccan suspects.
Moroccan police found the bodies of the Scandinavian tourists near Mount Toubkal in the Atlas Mountains on December 17, 2018. The police subsequently revealed that the two tourists had been beheaded. Police arrested the suspects in less than 48 hours after the murder.
