Three men held in Marrakech as suspicions grow that Islamists were behind killing of two Scandinavian women

Danish intelligence services are investigating a video circulating on social media they believe could show the murder of two Scandinavian women killed in Morocco as fears mount that the tourists were killed by extremists linked to Islamic State.

The Danish intelligence service, the PET, at first said it had authenticated the video but later rowed back, saying it was still being “examined”. The latest statement came as Moroccan authorities arrested three more suspects over the killings in the Atlas mountains, which have sent shockwaves through a popular tourist destination that has been relatively untouched by Islamist attacks.

The Moroccan government spokesman, Mustapha El Khalfi, described the killings as a “criminal and terrorist act”.

Investigators have released pictures of the three fugitives, who were identified as Rachid Afatti, Ouaziad Younes and Ejjoud Abdessamad. The three men were arrested in Marrakech as they tried to board a bus to the popular tourist resort of Agadir, according to a national security spokesman, Boubker Sabik, who said police were investigating whether they had terrorist affiliations.

Investigators were in the process of “verifying the terrorist motive, which is supported by the evidence and the findings of inquiries”, the central judicial investigations office said.

The men were seized with three long machete-like knives, a shorter blade, a slingshot and several mobile phones. Another suspect arrested in Marrakech on Tuesday had affiliations to an extremist group, Moroccan authorities said, and had apparently identified the others involved.

Pictures of the three men arrested on the bus also appear to show at least one man bearing a striking similarity to one of four individuals who had recently posted on social media declaring his allegiance to Isis while posing under the group’s flag.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Composite image of the three arrested men, Rachid Afatti, left, Ouaziad Younes, centre, and Ejjoud Abdessamad. Photograph: AFP/Getty Images

The discovery of machetes with handles wrapped with electrical tape under the seats of the bus will raise questions of whether they planned a second assault, perhaps in Agadir.

The bodies of Louisa Vesterager Jespersen, 24, from Denmark, and Maren Ueland, 28, from Norway, were found on Monday in an isolated area near Imlil, which is on the route to Toubkal, north Africa’s highest peak and a popular hiking destination.

According to some local media reports the killers had camped near their victims, about four miles’ hike from the nearest town, and fled the scene after the attack. The bodies were found on Monday by two French women who were hiking near the remote spot where Jespersen and Ueland had pitched their tent.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Louisa Vesterager Jespersen, left, and Maren Ueland. Photograph: vg

“We took a picture to show the police where we found them and went down again,” one of the witnesses told the Norwegian tabloid VG. “We warned everyone we saw [in the nearby town of] Imlil from going there. I did not want more to see what we had seen.”

In an earlier statement PET said Moroccan authorities had indicated that the killings may be related to Isis. That speculation was fuelled by claims on Morocco’s 2M television network that investigators had linked the first of the four people arrested over the murder to the terror group.

Moroccan television broadcast an interview with the brother of one of the three men arrested on the bus who suggested his sibling had been “brainwashed” by militants.

“He had no education and was brainwashed,” said the brother adding that his sibling had disappeared a week ago. “He was a normal guy, but was radicalised. What happened has nothing to do with Islam.”

The latest claims over the motive came as fresh details emerged of the two women’s last days. They had stayed in a hostel where they encountered a local mountain guide, Rachid Imerhade, who said he had cautioned them about camping alone on their planned ascent of the Toubkal mountain.

Moroccan media outlets reported that investigators also had video surveillance footage showing the suspects putting up a tent near the victims’ tent and leaving the area after the killings.

The murders can be considered “politically motivated and thus an act of terror”, the Danish prime minister, Lars Løkke Rasmussen, said on Thursday. He said “there are still dark forces that want to fight our values” and “we must not give in”.

In Norway, the prime minister, Erna Solberg, said terrorism “is not the only lead that is being investigated in Morocco” but said the case still “emphasises the importance of combating violent extremism”.

Jespersen had posted on Facebook about her upcoming trip before leaving. “Dear friends, I’m going to Morocco in December. Any of you guys who’s around by then or any mountain friends who knows something about Mount Toubkal?”

In the videos that have been circulating, a voice can reportedly be heard speaking of the “enemies of Allah” several times and referring to “revenge for our brothers in Hajin”, referring to the last stronghold of Isis in Syria, which fell a few days ago.

The two victims were friends from the University of South-Eastern Norway, where they were studying together. “What we know is that they were on a month-long, private holiday in Morocco. Our thoughts go to the families,” the university said.

The killings have prompted concerns about the impact on Morocco’s tourist sector, which accounts for 10% of national income, as the kingdom’s relative security has been a major selling point.</s>The bodies of two Scandinavian women with cuts to their necks were found in a village in Morocco's High Atlas mountains on Monday, the interior ministry said.

The tourists, a Danish woman and another from Norway, were found with "signs of violence" on their necks caused by a cutting device, the ministry said in a statement.

It said an investigation had been launched into the "criminal act", without providing more details.

The women's bodies were found in an isolated mountainous area 10 kilometres (six miles) from the tourist village of Imlil in the High Atlas range.

Imlil is as a starting point for trekking and climbing tours of Mount Toukbal, the highest summit in North Africa.

Tourism is a cornerstone of Morocco's economy and the kingdom's second-largest employer, after agriculture.</s>(AFP) — Moroccan authorities on Tuesday arrested a suspect following the murder of two Scandinavian tourists in the High Atlas mountains, the interior ministry said.

Other suspects are being sought over the deaths of the two women — a Dane and a Norwegian — whose bodies were found on Monday with cuts to their necks, the ministry said.

The bodies were discovered in an isolated mountainous area 10 kilometres (six miles) from the tourist village of Imlil in the High Atlas range.

Imlil is a starting point for trekking and climbing tours of Mount Toukbal, the highest summit in North Africa.

The suspect was arrested in the city of Marrakesh about 60 kilometres north of Imlil, the ministry said.

The Danish victim, Louisa Vesterager Jespersen, 24, “had her throat cut,” her mother Helle Petersen was quoted by the Danish newspaper B.T. as saying.

Her family had warned her against going to Morocco “because of the chaotic situation,” she added.

According to Jespersen’s Facebook page, she had studied in Norway to be a guide.

The other victim was 28 years old, according to Moroccan media.

Security was stepped up in the region and hiking suspended following the discovery of the bodies, media said.</s>The bodies of two Scandinavian women have been found with cuts to their necks in a village in Morocco’s High Atlas mountains, a popular hiking destination.

The tourists, from Denmark and Norway, were found with signs of violence on their necks caused by a cutting device, the interior ministry said in a statement.

It said an investigation had been launched into what it called a criminal act, but provided no further details.

The women’s bodies were found in an isolated mountainous area six miles (10km) from the tourist village of Imlil, which is a starting point for trekking and climbing tours to Mount Toubkal, the highest summit in north Africa.

Tourism is a cornerstone of Morocco’s economy and the country’s second-largest employer after agriculture.</s>RABAT, Morocco — Authorities in Morocco say the bodies of two Scandinavian women have been found in the Atlas Mountains, a popular hiking destination.

According to a statement from the Interior Ministry, the women from Denmark and Norway were discovered on Monday with “evidence of violence on their necks” inflicted by a “cold weapon.”

Their bodies were found in a “remote mountainous region” about 10 kilometres (6.2 miles) from the centre of Imlil; the village typically is the starting point for treks to Mount Toubkal, the highest peak in North Africa.

The Interior Ministry says an investigation was opened to “clarify the circumstances of this crime.”</s>vmargineanu/iStock(LONDON) — Two female tourists from Scandinavia have been found dead in Morocco, local police announced today.

The bodies of the women, from Norway and Denmark were found near the town of Imlil in the High Atlas mountains with knife wounds to their necks. A man has been arrested on suspicion of murder, the Moroccan Central Bureau of Judicial Investigation said on Facebook.

A man has been arrested in the major city of Marrakesh on suspicion of murder, but police are looking for possible accomplices, they added. The suspect is now in police custody.

The bodies were found on Monday. Both the Norwegian and Danish foreign ministries confirmed to ABC News that the women had been found dead and they were in touch with local authorities.

“The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs have been informed that a Norwegian and a Danish citizen have been found dead in the Atlas Mountains south of Marrakech,” Guri Solnerh, Communications Adviser at the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs told ABC News, using the French spelling of the city.

“The deaths and victims’ identity has now been confirmed by local authorities.”

“We are in contact with relatives and are providing consular assistance in accordance with established practices and framework for assistance in connection with deaths of Norwegian citizens abroad. Our embassy is in contact with local authorities and representatives from the embassy are present in Marrakech,” they added.

A spokesperson for the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs also confirmed that the pair had been killed while “trekking in the Atlas Mountains.”

“The Danish Police has notified the relatives to the Danish woman,” the spokesperson told ABC News, who also used the French spelling of one of Morocco’s largest cities.

“The relatives have been offered consular assistance by the Consular Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as well as the Danish Embassy in Morocco. The Danish ambassador is currently in Marrakech to ensure the closest possible contact to the local Moroccan authorities.”

Officials are yet to confirm the identities of either women.

However, the University of Sørøst-Norge posted that two of their students had died in Morocco on Monday. The university set its flags to half mast in order to mourn the pair, they announced on twitter.</s>The bodies of two Scandinavian women have been found with their necks slashed in Morocco.

The tourists, a Danish woman and another from Norway, were discovered with cuts to their necks in a village in Morocco's High Atlas mountains on Monday.

Danish woman Louisa Vesterager Jespersen, 24, has been named by local media as one of the victims who was travelling in the country with her friend.

The Norwegian woman, who she was backpacking in Morocco with is said to be 28, but has not yet been named.

They were found with 'signs of violence' on their necks caused by a cutting device, the interior ministry said.

The pair had been both studying ‘outdoor activities and cultural guidance’ at a Norwegian college in the village if Bo, in Telemark, Danish newspaper BT reports.

Ms Jespersen was said to have been from Denmark but living in Norway, according to her social media.

The women's bodies were found in an isolated mountainous area six miles (10 kilometres) from the tourist village of Imlil in the High Atlas range.

Moroccan officials said an investigation had been launched into the 'criminal act', without providing more details.

Ms Jespersen's mother, Helle Jespersen, told BT the family was 'completely broken', after being told the news of her daughter's death just before Christmas.

She was also described as 'adventurous' and 'always happy and positive' by her family, who had reportedly tried to get her to come home for the festive period.

On November 21 Ms Jespersen wrote of her trip on Facebook: 'Dear friends, im going to Morocco in december. Any of you guys whos around by then or any mountain friends who knows something about Mount Toubkal?'

She had also posted pictures from previous trips in which he is hiking in mountains as well as skiing and kayaking.

Imlil is as a starting point for trekking and climbing tours of Mount Toukbal, the highest summit in North Africa.

Tourism is a cornerstone of Morocco's economy and the kingdom's second-largest employer, after agriculture.</s>A suspect has been arrested following the murder of two Scandinavian women in the High Atlas mountains, the interior ministry said today.

The tourists, a Danish woman and another from Norway, were discovered with cuts to their necks in the tourist village of Imlil in Morocco's High Atlas mountains on Monday.

Danish woman Louisa Vesterager Jespersen, 24, has been named by local media as one of the victims who was travelling in the country with her friend.

Norwegian Maren Ueland, 28, has also been named by local media as the second woman found dead.

Other suspects are being sought over the deaths of the two women, Moroccan officials said today.

They were found with 'signs of violence' on their necks caused by a cutting device, the interior ministry said.

Both women's bodies were found in an isolated mountainous area six miles (ten kilometres) from the tourist village of Imlil in the High Atlas range.

The man was arrested on suspicion of murder in the city of Marrakesh about 60 kilometres north of Imlil, the ministry said.

He was being held in custody 'to determine the motive of the crime while investigations continue to arrest other individuals who have been identified and suspected of taking part in criminal acts', the central bureau of judicial investigation in Morocco said in a statement.

They had both been studying 'outdoor activities and cultural guidance' at a college in the village of Bo, in Telemark, Norway, Danish newspaper BT reports.

Ms Jespersen 'had her throat cut,' her mother Helle Petersen was quoted by the BT as saying.

Her family had warned her against going to Morocco 'because of the chaotic situation', she added.

According to Jespersen's Facebook page, she had studied in Norway to be a guide.

Security was stepped up in the region and hiking suspended following the discovery of the bodies, local media said.

Ms Jespersen was originally from Denmark but had been living in Norway for some time, according to her social media.

Ms Ueland's mother, Irene, told Norwegian broadcaster NRK: 'The girls had taken all precautionary measures before embarking on this trip.'

She said they had been studying together at the University of South-Eastern Norway and had gone backpacking for their Christmas holiday on December 9.

Irene Ueland shared a picture on social media of her daughter and a huge dog with the caption, 'Our Maren' and two heart emojis.

Moroccan officials said an investigation had been launched into the 'criminal act', without providing more details.

Ms Jespersen's mother, Helle Jespersen, told BT the family was 'completely broken', after being told the news of her daughter's death just before Christmas.

Ms Jespersen has been described as 'adventurous' and 'always happy and positive' by her family, who had reportedly tried to get her to come home for the festive period.

On November 21, Ms Jespersen wrote of her trip on Facebook: 'Dear friends, im going to Morocco in december. Any of you guys whos around by then or any mountain friends who knows something about Mount Toubkal? [sic]'

She had also posted pictures from previous trips in which he is hiking in mountains as well as skiing and kayaking.

Imlil is as a starting point for trekking and climbing tours of Mount Toukbal, the highest summit in North Africa.

Tourism is a cornerstone of Morocco's economy and the kingdom's second-largest employer, after agriculture.</s>The bodies of two Scandinavian women were found near a village in Morocco’s High Atlas Mountains on Monday, Agence France-Presse reports. The women, from Denmark and Norway, had both suffered neck wounds caused by a cutting device, according to a statement from Morocco’s interior ministry.

The women were found in a remote area about 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) from Imli, a settlement that is the starting point for treks up to Mount Toubkal, the highest peak in northern Africa.

Neither of the women appear to have been publicly identified.

According to the interior ministry, an investigation has been launched into the “criminal act.”</s>A suspect has been arrested in Morocco after two young Scandinavian women were found murdered with their throats cut in the Atlas Mountains, the interior ministry said.

Louisa Vesterager Jespersen, a 24-year-old from Denmark, and an unidentified 28-year-old woman from Norway were found dead in a remote mountain area on Monday.

Morocco’s interior ministry said it had arrested on person in Marrakesh on Tuesday, around 37 miles from where the women’s bodies were found. Both women were found “with evidence of violence to their necks,” the ministry said.

Other suspects are still being sought, according to officials.

The bodies were found around six miles from the village of Imlil, which is often the starting point for treks to Mount Toubkal, the highest peak in North Africa.
Two Scandinavian women on a backpacking holiday were found dead in Morocco with cuts to their necks. The bodies were found in an isolated area in the Atlas mountains, near the tourist village of Imlil, Marrakesh-Safi. 13 men are arrested with links to a Jihadist group.