Morocco suspects back in court over murder of Scandinavian hikers

Danish student Louisa Vesterager Jespersen, 24, and 28-year-old Norwegian Maren Ueland had their throats slit before they were beheaded in December at an isolated site in the High Atlas mountains.

The main suspects are all from the Marrakech region near the site of the killings, which shocked the North African country.

Abdessamad Ejjoud, a 25-year-old street vendor, is the alleged leader of the group. He had been jailed for trying to join the Islamic State group in Syria but was released in 2015.

Younes Ouaziyad, 27, and Rachid Afatti, 33, have been named as the other two key suspects. The others have been accused of links to the killers and of forming part of a "terrorist cell".

The three main defendants accused of direct involvement, who allegedly pledged allegiance to IS, could face the death penalty.

A total of 24 defendants were to appear in the criminal court in Sale, near Rabat, to face charges including promoting terrorism, forming a terrorist cell and premeditated murder.

An opening hearing was held on May 2 but immediately postponed for two weeks after defence lawyers requested more time to prepare their case. 

A Spanish-Swiss convert to Islam is among the suspects on trial, accused of teaching the main accused how to use encrypted communications and how to fire a gun.

Nature lovers Jespersen and Ueland shared an apartment and went to Norway's Bo University where they were studying to be guides.

They had travelled together to Morocco for their Christmas holidays.

Their lives were cut short in the foothills of Toubkal, the highest summit in North Africa, some 80 kilometres from the city of Marrakesh, a tourist magnet.

A lawyer for one of the victim's families told AFP he would seek the death penalty for the murders.

Read more: Morocco football fans pay tribute to New Zealand mosque attack victims

A de facto suspension on executions has been in place in Morocco since 1993.

A second Swiss citizen arrested after the double-murder was tried separately and jailed in mid-April for 10 years on charges including "forming a terrorist group".

The main trial is expected to run for months before it reaches a verdict. 

Outrage and Solidarity

Outraged Moroccans have held candlelight vigils in front of both Danish and Norwegian embassies in Morocco to condemn the killings.

Denmark's Ambassador to Morocco Nikolaj Harris said earlier this year he had received letters from Moroccans who expressed solidarity and support for the families.

Moroccans holds placards as people pay tribute to murdered Danish Louisa Vesterager Jespersen and Norwegian Maren Ueland in Rabat, in front the Danish ambassy.

"Many people put candles and roses in front of the Danish embassy, and I want to personally express how delighted I am by the various kind of solidarity toward the Danish people during this tough week," he said.

Read more: Moroccans pay homage to Scandinavian women 'murdered by terrorists'

On social media, users changed their profile photos and replaced them with pictures of the victims.

One message read: "I am, as a Moroccan, very shocked because of this incident. I'm very sorry for what happened in Morocco. I hope the perpetrators will face the punishment they deserve. We don't tolerate this kind of acts. Rest in peace Louisa and Maren."

Other social media users also wrote solidarity messages on the victims' Facebook profiles.

Danish social media users expressed their gratitude for the solidarity campaigns.

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