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Rabat – Ali Aarrass, a Belgian-Moroccan former detainee who joined the Mujahideen movement in Morocco in the 80s, appears to have been responsible for both logistical and financial support for the terrorist organization.
Speaking to “Maghreb TV,” a Belgian-Moroccan TV station, another ex-terror convict involved in the organization, Abderrezak Soumah, accused Aarrass of being involved in delivering weapons for the Moroccan Mujahideen movement. This was made possible through financing acquired through an Islamic bookstore in Brussels, which was run by Aarrass, Soumah said.
“Our emir at that time, Nouamani, provided him with money in 1983 to open an Islamic bookstore in Brussels, with the aim of providing financial support to the movement in return,” he told the channel.
The bookshop, which was Aarrass’ idea in the first place, served two functions, to provide financial support for the terrorist cell, as well as to spread jihadist propaganda among young people in Belgium.
“This is an accusation that cannot be made up. [Ali Aarrass] was indeed a member of the movement since 1981 and had direct links with the leaders of the group,” said Soumah.
The allegations come in the wake of a spat between several ex-convicts. Morocco originally accused Aarrass of having links to the Casablanca bombings of May 2003, in which 12 suicide bombers killed over 33 civilians. He eventually received a sentence of 15 years, which was later reduced to 12 years.
Read also: Ali Aarras Remains in Denial Despite Multiple Testimonies Confirming Terror Affiliation
In return, Aarrass responded by denying his involvement, and accused Morocco of unjust imprisonment and torture.
Mohamed Benchouchen, another ex-convict formerly affiliated with the movement, also appeared in a video condemning Aarrass’ denial of his affiliation.
Benchouchen explained that he “was very active within the movement.” and that “all the weapons that Morocco’s authorities seized during our arrest [were] provided to us by Ali Aarrass.”
Amidst the public back and forth between the former terrorists, the Moroccan embassy in Belgium accused Aarrass of creating a “diversion,” despite the evidence of his involvement in the terror attacks in Casablanca.
“He victimizes himself, while his allegations of torture have been dismantled by courts,” a statement from the embassy said.
While Aarrass maintains his image of innocence, despite an ever-growing number of accusations against him, Soumah recounts how in 2001 “[Ali] came to my house in Berkane where he provided me with weapons: a Kalashnikov and two pistols with ammunition.”
Had the former jihadists had not reversed their doctrine, following the movement’s decline, Soumah claims that “with the weapons that were delivered to us, we could have sown horror in Morocco.”
