2003 Casablanca bombings
Encyclopedia
The 2003 Casablanca bombings were a series of suicide bombings on May 16, 2003, in Casablanca
, Morocco
. The attacks were the deadliest terrorist
attacks in the country's history. 45 people were killed as a result of these attacks (12 suicide-bombers and 33 victims). The suicide bombers came from the shanty town
s of Sidi Moumen
, a poor suburb of Casablanca, and were from the Salafia Jihadia
group.
-owned eatery in the city. They blew themselves up inside the building, killing 20 people, many of them dining and playing bingo
.
The five-star Hotel Farah was bombed next, killing a guard and a porter.
Another bomber killed three passersby as he attempted to bomb a Jewish cemetery
. He was 150 yards (137.2 m) away from the cemetery and likely lost, so he blew up by a fountain. Two additional bombers attacked a Jewish community center, but killed no one because the building was closed and empty. It would have been packed the next day.
Another bomber attacked a Jewish-owned Italian
restaurant, and another blew up near the Belgian
consulate which is located meters away from the restaurant, killing two police officers.
In all, 12 bombers died, along with 33 civilians. Two bombers were arrested before they could carry out attacks. More than 100 people were injured. Eight of the dead were Europeans (three Spanish among them) and the rest were Moroccan
.
In April 2008, nine Islamic extremists convicted in the Casablanca bombings in 2003 that killed 45 people and wounded scores more tunneled their way out of prison, officials said. Abderrahim Mahtade, who represents a prisoners’ advocacy group, said the fugitives had escaped from the Kenitra prison, north of Rabat, after dawn prayers. He said one of the nine had been sentenced to death, six to life imprisonment and two to 20 years.
, the King of Morocco, toured the bombing sites and was cheered by crowds of people. Moroccan authorities said in May 2004 that they had arrested 2,000 people in connection with the attacks, and began to put them on trial.
World leaders condemned the attacks, coming on the heels of the Riyadh compound bombings
. In response to that attack and the Casablanca attacks, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security raised the terror threat level
to Orange.
Salafia Jihadia, an offshoot of the Moroccan Islamic Combatant Group
and believed to have al-Qaeda
links, is suspected of sending out the bombers. Evidence suggests that Iraq
i Al-Qaeda leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi
may have played a role. On March 19, 2004, Belgian police arrested a suspect wanted by the Moroccan government in connection with the bombings. In December 2004, a man named Hasan al-Haski, charged in the 2004 Madrid bombings
, was questioned over his links to the Casablanca bombings and was believed to have helped plan them.
Casablanca
Casablanca is a city in western Morocco, located on the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Grand Casablanca region.Casablanca is Morocco's largest city as well as its chief port. It is also the biggest city in the Maghreb. The 2004 census recorded a population of 2,949,805 in the prefecture...
, Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
. The attacks were the deadliest terrorist
Terrorism
Terrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...
attacks in the country's history. 45 people were killed as a result of these attacks (12 suicide-bombers and 33 victims). The suicide bombers came from the shanty town
Shanty town
A shanty town is a slum settlement of impoverished people who live in improvised dwellings made from scrap materials: often plywood, corrugated metal and sheets of plastic...
s of Sidi Moumen
Sidi Moumen
Sidi Moumen is a commune in the suburbs of Casablanca, Morocco. Inhabited by 170,000 inhabitants, the commune is infamous for its shanty towns, from where the terrorists of the 2003 and 2007 Casablanca bombings came, mainly from Karian Thoma....
, a poor suburb of Casablanca, and were from the Salafia Jihadia
Salafia Jihadia
Salafia Jihadia is an Islamic terrorist organization affiliated with Al Qaeda that is active in North Africa and Spain.Eleven suspected members of the organization were arrested in Ceuta in December 2006. Judge Baltasar Garzón, a high court judge in Spain, released four of the suspects, but had the...
group.
The bombings
The 14 bombers, most between 20 and 23 years old, bombed several places on the night of May the 16th. In the deadliest attack, bombers wearing explosives knifed a guard at the "Casa de España" restaurant, a SpanishSpain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
-owned eatery in the city. They blew themselves up inside the building, killing 20 people, many of them dining and playing bingo
Bingo (US)
Bingo is a game of chance played with randomly drawn numbers which players match against numbers that have been pre-printed on 5x5 matrices. The matrices may be printed on paper, card stock or electronically represented and are referred to as cards. Many versions conclude the game when the first...
.
The five-star Hotel Farah was bombed next, killing a guard and a porter.
Another bomber killed three passersby as he attempted to bomb a Jewish cemetery
Jewish cemetery
A Jewish cemetery is a cemetery where members of the Jewish faith are buried in keeping with Jewish tradition....
. He was 150 yards (137.2 m) away from the cemetery and likely lost, so he blew up by a fountain. Two additional bombers attacked a Jewish community center, but killed no one because the building was closed and empty. It would have been packed the next day.
Another bomber attacked a Jewish-owned Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
restaurant, and another blew up near the Belgian
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
consulate which is located meters away from the restaurant, killing two police officers.
In all, 12 bombers died, along with 33 civilians. Two bombers were arrested before they could carry out attacks. More than 100 people were injured. Eight of the dead were Europeans (three Spanish among them) and the rest were Moroccan
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
.
In April 2008, nine Islamic extremists convicted in the Casablanca bombings in 2003 that killed 45 people and wounded scores more tunneled their way out of prison, officials said. Abderrahim Mahtade, who represents a prisoners’ advocacy group, said the fugitives had escaped from the Kenitra prison, north of Rabat, after dawn prayers. He said one of the nine had been sentenced to death, six to life imprisonment and two to 20 years.
Response
Mohammed VIMohammed VI of Morocco
Mohammed VI is the present King of Morocco and Amir al-Mu'minin . He ascended to the throne on 23 July 1999 upon the death of his father.-Education:...
, the King of Morocco, toured the bombing sites and was cheered by crowds of people. Moroccan authorities said in May 2004 that they had arrested 2,000 people in connection with the attacks, and began to put them on trial.
World leaders condemned the attacks, coming on the heels of the Riyadh compound bombings
Riyadh compound bombings
The Riyadh compound bombings took place on May 12, 2003, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Altogether, 35 people were killed, and over 160 wounded. A smaller campaign of insurgency in Saudi Arabia had started in November 2000 when car bombings were carried out targeting and killing individual expatriates in...
. In response to that attack and the Casablanca attacks, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security raised the terror threat level
Homeland Security Advisory System
In the United States, the Homeland Security Advisory System was a color-coded terrorism threat advisory scale. The different levels trigger specific actions by federal agencies and state and local governments, and they affect the level of security at some airports and other public facilities. It...
to Orange.
Salafia Jihadia, an offshoot of the Moroccan Islamic Combatant Group
Moroccan Islamic Combatant Group
The Moroccan Islamic Combatant Group or Moroccan Islamic Fighting Group is a Sunni Islamist terrorist organization affiliated with al-Qaeda. It is sometimes referred to as GICM after its French name Groupe Islamique Combattant Marocain...
and believed to have al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda is a global broad-based militant Islamist terrorist organization founded by Osama bin Laden sometime between August 1988 and late 1989. It operates as a network comprising both a multinational, stateless army and a radical Sunni Muslim movement calling for global Jihad...
links, is suspected of sending out the bombers. Evidence suggests that Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
i Al-Qaeda leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi
Abu Musab al-Zarqawi
Abu Musab al-Zarqawi ; October 30, 1966 – June 7, 2006), born Ahmad Fadeel al-Nazal al-Khalayleh was a Jordanian militant Islamist who ran a paramilitary training camp in Afghanistan...
may have played a role. On March 19, 2004, Belgian police arrested a suspect wanted by the Moroccan government in connection with the bombings. In December 2004, a man named Hasan al-Haski, charged in the 2004 Madrid bombings
11 March 2004 Madrid train bombings
The Madrid train bombings consisted of a series of coordinated bombings against the Cercanías system of Madrid, Spain on the morning of 11 March 2004 , killing 191 people and wounding 1,800...
, was questioned over his links to the Casablanca bombings and was believed to have helped plan them.