Spanish-Swiss Suspect in Moroccan Hikers’ Murder Case Faces Trial

Cited by AFP, his lawyer indicates that after "the preliminary hearing, there will be a more detailed hearing, which will last a long time, with more detailed questions", adding that other suspects are to appear the same day before the anti-terrorism investigating judge in Salé.

The Moroccan authorities accuse Kevin Zoller of "teaching some of the accused in this case the communication tools via the new applications and training them in shooting", according to a statement from the Central Bureau of Judicial Investigation (BCIJ), adding that "his adherence to operations to recruit Moroccans and sub-Saharan Africans for the execution of terrorist plans in Morocco, targeting foreign interests and elements of the security forces, in order to seize their service weapons".

In total, about twenty people have been arrested by the police in connection with this case, including several foreign nationals. They all face sentences of up to 20 years in prison, as Morocco has greatly increased penalties in terrorism cases in recent years.

To recall, the two tourists, the Danish Louisa Vesterager Jespersen, 24, and the Norwegian Maren Ueland, 28, had been killed on December 17 last by four individuals near Imlil, a mountainous area not far from Marrakech.