French court convicts 8 for links to bomb plotters

PARIS, July 11 (Reuters) A French court today convicted eight suspected Islamist radicals of having links to plotters behind deadly suicide bombings in Casablanca four years ago.

The accused, who are of Turkish, Moroccan and French nationality, were found guilty of associating with criminals engaged in a terrorist undertaking and handed sentences ranging from a year's suspended jail sentence to 10 years in prison.

The men were suspected of belonging to a France-based cell of the Moroccan Islamic Combatant Group (GICM), which carried out the May 16, 2003, attacks in the Moroccan city of Casablanca in which 45 people were killed.

Prosecutors said the accused raised money, provided housing and forged documents for the group and met some of the suicide bombers who perished in the attacks.

But the court found no direct link between the men on trial and the Casablanca attacks. No arms or explosives were found at their homes.

In police hearings, most of the suspects admitted holding Islamist beliefs but not membership of the GICM.

Relatives of the accused shouted ''Shit justice system!'' when the verdict was announced, and officials expelled several men from the courtroom. A window was broken in scuffles.

The accused admitted visiting Islamist training camps in Pakistan and Afghanistan where they are accused of having undergone weapons and explosives training.

Mustafa Baouchi, an explosives specialist who was considered head of the group in France, was sentenced to 10 years in jail.

The GICM has been linked to the Madrid train bombings of March 2004 which killed 191 people.

The United States has listed it as a terrorist group whose aims are to establish an Islamic state in Morocco and to support al Qaeda's struggle against Western countries.

Reuters SBC VV2340