Moroccans adamant about reform

RABAT, Morocco, May 10 (UPI) -- Moroccans used a protest against alleged al-Qaida attacks to say they weren't relaxing demands for political reforms, one supporter said.

Morocco continued investigating an April attack on a cafe in Marrakesh after al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb, the North African branch of the terrorist group, denied it was behind the bombing that killed 17 people.

Moroccans took to the streets to show resistance against the attacks following AQIM threats against the country.

Moroccan officials said the attacks bore the hallmarks of al-Qaida and a YouTube video surfaced a week before the attack depicting suspected al-Qaida members threatening the country.

Authorities in January said they arrested 27 people who were allegedly part of an al-Qaida cell plotting an attack in the country. AQIM, however, denied it was behind the attack and called on Moroccans to take to the streets to "topple the criminal regime" of King Mohammed VI, the BBC reports.

But one protester who spoke with CNN said demonstrators were defiant against the AQIM threats.

"We're here to denounce terrorism and the killings in Marrakesh," said one protester. "But we don't want to say that this should stop the process of the struggle for reforms."

The Moroccan king announced in March that the government was willing to protect political freedoms and undertake reforms to address protesters' demands.

Source: United Press International (UPI).
Link: http://www.upi.com/Top_News/Special/2011/05/10/Moroccans-adamant-about-reform/UPI-38101305062037/.