News Flash

Morocco : A movie director encourages people to rape homosexuals

Mahmoud Frites, a Moroccan movie director, has published on his Facebook account a post in which he encouraged people to rape homosexuals, reports Le 360 online newspaper. Reacting to the sexual assault incident that has shaken the kingdom a few days ago, Frites wrote on his Facebook saying «I do not understand people who rape a donkey, a disabled person and elderly person, a child, their children and do not touch those who wish to be raped». His post was accompanied by a photo of

Morocco, Saudi Arabia and Belgium to celebrate Eid al-Adha on Friday 1st of September

Morocco is to celebrate the first day of Eid al-Adha on Friday 1st of September 2017, the Ministry of Habous and Islamic Affairs said today. The Dou Al Hijja crescent was sighted today making tomorrow, Wednesday 23rd of August the first day of the Hijri month. Other countries will also celebrate Eid al-Adha on the same day, namely Saudi Arabia which announced earlier today through a tweet posted by the Saudi News agency SPA that Friday 1st of September will be the first day of Eid al-Adha,

Finland : The Moroccan suspect admits killing two in the stabbing attack

The 18-year-old Moroccan asylum-seeker suspected of stabbing two people to death and wounding eight others in Turku, Finland on Friday, has admitted today the killing of the two victims during a closed-door court hearing held on Tuesday, reports Irish Times. The alleged attacker identified as Abderrahman Mechkah, did not admit any terrorist motive, according to his lawyer, Kaarle Gummerus. The latter told Reuters that «(his client) admits manslaughter and injuries ... But what the

Barcelona attack : The terrorists were planning for a bigger attack, says a suspect

The hearing of the four alleged terrorist that survived the Barcelona attack, has taken place on Tuesday. They highlighted the fact that they were planning for a bigger attack as it was suspected by the investigators, Huffpost said today. The Catalan police spokesman said after the two attacks, the terrorists were organizing a «bigger attack». Mohamed Houli Chemlal, one of the four suspects, told the investigating judge that the cell was preparing an attack «more important

Vuelta a Espana : The Moroccan cyclist Anass Ait El Abdia wounded

The Moroccan cyclist Anass Ait El Abdia has recently suffered from a «serious fall» during the second stage of the Tour of Spain (Vuelta a Espana ), forcing him to abandon the competition, said the Royal Moroccan Federation of Cycling. Anass Ait El Abdia, winner of the Tour of Morocco 2017, participated in the Vuelta, an annual multi-stage bicycle race that will be held in Spain from the 19th of August starting from Nimes, France and will end on the 10th of September in Madrid, as

Nigeria : One of the kidnapped Moroccan navy officers has been released

One of the two Moroccan navy officers, kidnapped by pirates in Nigeria's territorial waters three weeks ago, was reportedly released. This is what the daily Assabah indicated in its edition today. The family of the hostage plans to return to Morocco in the next few days, adds the same source. The newspaper did not give any information on the other Moroccan national also kidnapped during the same operation. The Celia ship, built in 1986 and currently operating under the Panama Pavilion under

Finland’ stabbing attack : The Finnish authorities have received a tip-off on the Moroccan alleged assailant

The Moroccan national who allegedly stabbed to death two people and wounded 8 others on Friday in Turku, Finland «was known to the Finnish intelligence as a suspected extremism», Reuters said on Monday quoting the Finnish authorities. According to the same source, The Finnish intelligence service said in a communiqué that it was warned earlier this year about Abderrahman Mechkah, an 18-year-old Moroccan national who was living in an immigration center. «According to

Italy : A Moroccan national cut in the throat

A Moroccan national died after he was cut in the throat by a broken bottle in Sassuolo, an Italian town in the Province of Modena, Business Standard reports quoting local media. The man has lost a lot of blood and died before making it to the hospital late on Sunday according to the same source. «The man was believed to be around 35 years old and was attacked during an apparent brawl in a local square frequented by drug dealers» states Business standard. An investigation has been

Catalonia : Younes Abouyaaqoub shot dead by the police

A man was shot dead on Monday by the Catalan police in Subirats, a municipality in the comarca of Alt Penedès, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain , during an operation carried out by the forces of order, four days after the attacks of Barcelona and Cambrils, says AFP. According to a source close to the investigation, it could be Younes Abouyaaqoub, suspected of being the driver of the van, author of the attack of Barcelona. The man wore «what looks like an explosive belt»,

Casablanca : A sit-in organized to support the sexually assaulted girl

The case of the young disabled Imane, who has been sexually assaulted in a bus in Casablanca has changed the public opinion stance. This Wednesday at 16:30 several activists will participate to a sit-in at Place Maréchal square in Casablanca to show support for the victim. The 24-year-old girl's story has moved internet users in Morocco and resulted in a wave of rage which has been reported on social media. Mdina Bus quickly responded to the incident indicating that an investigation

Sexual assault video : Mdina bus reacts in a statement

The transportation company Mdina Bus issued a press release today in response to the sexual assault that took place on one of its buses. The public transport company of Greater Casablanca «strongly denounces the aggression of a girl in a bus by a group of young delinquents». Mdina Bus officials set up an emergency task force to «verify the facts and locate them, as the video does not indicate the place or date of the events». An investigation is being carried out

A man linked to the imam of Ripoll interrogated in Morocco

The investigation into the attacks in Catalonia seems to continue in Morocco, the country of origin of almost all the people involved in the attacks of Barcelona and Cambrils. According to the El Espaid newspaper, which cites sources of counter-terrorism services, the Moroccan police interrogated a person for their alleged links with the members of the terrorist cell from Ripoll (province of Girona). More specifically, the investigation focuses on contacts that person had with the city's

Sexual assault on a bus in Casablanca : Six people are under arrest

A terrifying video has been widely relayed on social media since yesterday, Sunday. A young girl was seen to be sexually assaulted by a group of minors. The video is unbearable and resulted in a high amount of reactions on social media, illustrating the indignation of the general public. According to a source reported by 2M.ma online newspaper, four people implicated in the assault were arrested this morning. A fifth individual was also identified. The author of the video, named Hamza claimed

King Salman spent $100 million during his annual holiday in Tangier

King Salman has spent $100 million during his annual holiday spent in Tangier, Morocco, the Independent reported. The Saudi sovereign was greeted by Prime Minister Saadeddine El Othmani in July on his arrival to Tangier airport. Like every year, King Salman headed to his 74-acre summer palace in the northern city accompanied with 1,000 people from his entourage, as reported by Haaretz newspaper. «Ministers, advisers and relatives were booked in to the city's most luxurious

Finland : The Moroccan teenager responsible for the stabbing has been named by the authorities

The Moroccan teenager responsible for the terror attack in Turku, Finland has been named by the Finnish police according to the Daily Mail. The alleged assailant who has been shot in the hip by the police after stabbing two people to death and injuring eight others on Friday, is an asylum-seeker called Abderrahman Mechkah. The 18-year-old suspect's photos were displayed on the Scandinavian media during the weekend. According to the same source, Mechkah arrived to Finland last year. He was

Spain : A Moroccan teenager victim of a racially-motivated assault

The recent attacks in Catalonia have already shown their perverse effect : after the acts of vandalism against the consulate of Morocco and the mosque of Tarragona, a young man of Moroccan origin was the victim on Friday 18th of August in Puerto de Sagunto (province of Valencia), of a physical and verbal assault, according to the online newspaper Diario Información. A. F., 14, was surfing the Internet on his phone with a friend when an Audi A3 car stopped next to them. «Get out of

Catalonia attacks : Youness Abouyaaqoub identified as the van driver

Interior Advisor Joaquim Forn confirmed on Monday that the driver of the van that killed 14 people in Barcelona, and wounded more than a hundred others, is Younes Abouyaaqoub, according to El Mundo. An international search and arrest warrant has been issued against him, although the Spanish authorities are not yet in a position to say whether he was able to leave Spain. Younes Abouyaaqoub «is no longer only wanted in Catalonia but in all European countries,» said Joaquim Forn.

Catalonia attacks : The Catalan president calls people not to vilify Moroccans

The president of the Catalan government, Carles Puigdemont, called on Sunday not to criminalize the more than 200,000 Moroccans living in the territory after the jihadist attacks in Barcelona and Cambrils, which left at least 14 dead and 132 wounded, reports kienyke. «In Catalonia there are about 200,000 Moroccans who are part of the normal daily life of this country, who pray, who work, who participate in collective life; and so it is very unfair to try to introduce a community that