Swiss man sentenced in Morocco in double murder case
The village in the Atlas mountains near where the two bodies were found.
Keystone / Terje Bendiksby
One of the two Swiss citizens recently arrested in Morocco in connection with the murder of two Scandinavian hikers has been sentenced to ten years in prison.
This content was published on
2 minutes
RTS/dos
العربية
ar
الحكم على رجل سويسري في المغرب على علاقة بجريمة إرهابية
The Swiss man, first name Nicolas, was convicted in Rabat on three counts: participation in a terrorist act, supporting terrorism, and withholding information relating to a crime.
According to Swiss public broadcaster RTS, the news was confirmed on Thursday by the man’s lawyer and family; the Swiss foreign ministry declined to immediately comment.
The conviction comes exactly three months after his arrest in connection with the December 2018 murder and beheading of a 24-year-old Danish student and her 28-year-old Norwegian friend, who had been on holiday in southern Morocco.
Nicolas, whose lawyer intends to appeal the verdict, claims that he does not know the Islamists responsible for the beheadings. Rather, what led to his conviction were his links to jihadist fighters that left Geneva to fight in Syria.
Islamist cell
RTS also reported that the 33-year-old convert to Islam had been a regular attendee of the Petit-Saconnex mosque in Geneva until 2017, where he had come to the attention of the Swiss Federal Intelligence Service (FIS).
However, the FIS has rejected claims by Nicolas’ lawyer that he received payment in exchange for information gleaned from his mosque attendance.
The Moroccan authorities have already arrested 18 people for their alleged links with the double homicide, which they designated a “terrorist incident”.
This includes four main alleged perpetrators, arrested in Marrakech in the days following the killings, and who belonged to a cell inspired by the ideology of the Islamic State.
One, a 25-year-old street vendor, is suspected of being the head of this “terrorist cell”. He can be seen speaking in a video recorded a week before the murder in which the four main suspects pledge allegiance to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, leader of Islamic State.
Living longer: What do you think about the longevity trend?
The longevity market is booming thanks in part to advances in the science of ageing. What do you think of the idea of significantly extending human lifespan?
This content was published on
The Swiss economy saw the clouds that had gathered over its prospects lift somewhat in May. However, the KOF economic barometer is still below its long-term average.
Direct operations too dangerous in Swiss landslide valley
This content was published on
By Friday morning 365 people had been forced to leave their homes because of Wednesday's landslide in the Swiss village of Blatten.
Franco-Swiss raclette war set to be settled on Sunday
This content was published on
The battle for the world's largest raclette will be transformed on Sunday in Saint-Gingolph, canton Valais, into a raclette of friendship served at the border.
Situation in Swiss landslide valley remains unstable
This content was published on
Authorities in Valais said on Thursday that it was still too dangerous to begin clear-up activities around the village of Blatten.
Spar Switzerland put up for sale by South African owner
This content was published on
Talks with potential buyers of the 360-plus Spar stores in Switzerland are underway, but it’s not clear who’s in the running.
Further villages in Swiss landslide area avoid damage for now
This content was published on
Due to the build-up of a lake behind the debris in Blatten, canton Valais, parts of neighbouring villages have been evacuated as a precaution.
Glacier collapses burying large parts of Swiss village Blatten
This content was published on
A gigantic avalanche of ice, mud and debris has buried a large part of the village of Blatten after a major glacier collapsed.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Second Swiss arrested in Morocco over tourist beheadings
This content was published on
A British-Swiss dual national was arrested in Morocco in connection with the murder of a Danish and a Norwegian hiker in the Atlas mountains.
This content was published on
A Swiss man, part of a cycling group, was one of four people killed when a car ploughed into them in Tajikistan at the weekend.
Swiss suspect arrested over killing of Nordic tourists in Morocco
This content was published on
A Swiss-Spanish dual national has been arrested in Morocco on suspicion of aiding terrorists who beheaded a Danish and Norwegian hiker in the Atlas mountains.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.