Interesting (but scary) article

[kerewin21 2]

Terrorist Networks Lure Young Moroccans to War in Far-Off Iraq

Conflict Is Recruiting Tool for Al-Qaeda Affiliates

By Craig Whitlock

Washington Post Foreign Service

Tuesday, February 20, 2007; Page A01

TETOUAN, Morocco -- In the Arab world, this hilly North African city is about as far as you can get from Iraq. But for many young men here, the call to join what they view as a holy war resonates loudly across the 3,000-mile divide.

About two dozen men from Tetouan and nearby towns in the Rif Mountains have traveled to Iraq in the past 18 months to volunteer as fighters or suicide bombers, according to local residents and officials. Moroccan authorities said the men were recruited by international terrorist networks affiliated with al-Qaeda that have deepened their roots in North Africa since the invasion of Iraq four years ago.

continued....

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...7021901168.html

[sereia 0]

. its a terrible growing problem........... Edited February 21, 2007 by abdounjen

[cbd2cai 0]

If this wasn't so scary, this would be very sad!!

I just can't imagine what must go thru their heads that they truly believe this is the way to solve the problems.

[cbd2cai 0]

Well, I have to say that after re-reading this article, that I do find it very sad for all the families that are left behind to wonder "WHY".

I saw this last part of the article: "There's a long tradition in the Muslim world of solidarity against occupation," he said. "It's rooted in our society. To explain it and understand it is easy." And I wonder about this ONLY because I think the culture/society varies from country to country somewhat . . . but the one thing that I think is a constant is the poverty and unemployment in the various countries that seem to draw the most terrorists. hmmmmm, well, I can't begin to understand what drives someone to do this because that is not the way that I think.

[balmytigeress 0]

There is that problem with finding good paying employment in Morocco. Desperation can cause people to act oddly. If you can't find a job and can't afford to get married and you have few options, it can be good to feel useful somewhere, to feel you have a purpose. I am not excusing anybody for harming others.

BT

[Ban Hammer 13,334]

from the story:

One of them, Abdelmonaim el-Amrani, a 22-year-old laborer, abandoned his wife and infant child in Tetouan to go to Iraq. On March 6, 2006, just before sunset, he drove a red Volkswagen Passat stuffed with explosives into a funeral tent in a village near Baqubah, Iraq, according to witnesses. Six people were reported killed and 27 injured. It was months before Amrani's family in Tetouan learned of his fate from Moroccan police.

very sad. why on earth would he leave his wife and baby to go do that?

another drawback to this story is how someone in the usa who has a moroccan husband might be perceived by anyone who has read this story. i've seen a few horror stories recently by some mena sisters about how their family reacted about them having a mena SO and i don't believe this story, should they read it, will improve their situation.