Marrakech Terror Attack Risks to Derail Political Progress in Morocco and Could Slow Rapprochement with Algeria

[By Arezki Daoud | daoud@north-africa.com | 508-981-6937 | Twitter: @northafrica] It’s test time for King Mohamed VI. Moving forward with political reforms may have awakened nasty demons, and yet scaling them back could lead the country into violent turmoil. The terror attack that rocked the city of Marrakech, Morocco on April 28, 2011 is both puzzling and alarming but not entirely unpredictable. Morocco is moving on the fast track in a region full of drama. And so while emotions are running high, a lot remains at stake, and inevitably something is bound to go wrong.

The attack, which took place at the Argana Café on the Jemaa El-Fna Plaza, claimed the lives of 16 people and some 20 wounded. With this attack, there are no shortages of motives and reasons for all sort of possible perpetrators. The potential suspects range from the anti-reformist clan that has a lot to lose if Morocco moves into the greater democratic path, to extremist fringes such as Al-Qaeda North Africa which also has its own wicked reasons. Continue here | Not a subscriber? follow this link | Join our mailing list.