Moroccan police arrest terror convict who escaped prison

RABAT, Morocco—Moroccan police have arrested one of nine convicts who escaped from prison in April and were linked to deadly 2003 terrorist attacks in Casablanca, the official MAP news agency said Thursday.

Police arrested Mohamed Chetbi and two men who helped him to hide out, the agency said. It did not say where the arrests occurred or provide other information.

Chetbi and eight others tunneled to freedom in the town of Kinitra, about 30 miles northeast of the capital, Rabat. The disappearances were discovered April 7, the Justice Ministry said at the time.

Annassir, an association that provides support to Islamist prisoners in Morocco, said the escapees sent a letter saying they had been "unjustly" convicted and that escape was their "only way to freedom."

Chetbi had been sentenced to 20 years in prison for his role in a series of nearly simultaneous suicide bombings in downtown Casablanca in 2003 that killed 45 people, including the 12 bombers. Chetbi's exact role was not clear.

The Justice Ministry had said it would spare no effort to find the nine escaped convicts.

Hundreds of Islamic militants are jailed in this North African country, which is viewed in the West as a pillar of Muslim moderation.