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Join on Telegram Rabat – Thomas Reilly, Britain’s ambassador to Morocco, is the latest to join the wave of calls for international solidarity that have followed the heinous murder of two Scandinavian tourists in Morocco.
Louisa Vesterager Jespersen, from Denmark, and her friend Maren Ueland, from Norway, were found dead Monday by their tent outside of Imlil, a village near Mount Toubkal, North Africa’s highest peak and a popular tourist destination.
News of the double murder shocked Morocco, a country that has recently been named among the safest travel destinations worldwide. But the shock quickly morphed into fear and anger when investigations discovered that the double murder was politically motivated and terrorism-linked.
Taking to Twitter to weigh in on security implications of the Imlil tragedy, Reilly said that while terrorism should be opposed, over-reaction is not an appropriate response.
According to the British ambassador, an isolated incident should not serve to lump in terrorists with the majority of “generous and warm” Moroccans.
“Murder video authenticated,” the British ambassador tweeted, referring to a video that was widely shared on social media and which Danish and Norwegian intelligence believe to be footage of the Imlil murder.
He added: “Terrorism is irreligious. No religion or other excuse justifies it. We will never give into terrorism. We must also not over-react. This appalling act doesn’t change the beauty of Morocco and the warmth kindness and generosity of its people.”
Read also: Norwegian Tourist Shared a Pro-Muslim Video Three Years Before Her Murder
The embassies of Norway and Denmark have issued similar messages, highlighting international solidarity as the way forward in combating the threat of terrorism.
“I was deeply touched by the warm reactions of Moroccans,” Norway’s ambassador Merethe Nergaard said earlier today in a statement. Nergaard was thanking Moroccans who went in great number to the Norwegian embassy in Rabat armed with candles and flowers to mourn Louisa and Maren.
“I am convinced that the friendship between our two nations will survive. The solidarity you have showed us these last days is proof of that.”
