Morocco’s new fight against financing of terrorism features stiffer penalties and broader inter-Maghreb co-operation. By Siham Ali for Magharebia in Rabat

[AFP/Abdelhak Senna] A wave of anti-terrorism demonstrations swept across Morocco after last year’s Marrakech bombing.

Moroccan Prime Minister Abdelilah Benkirane is clamping down on terrorist operations by targeting illicit money transactions.

Morocco must first improve national measures on the issue and elevate legal penalties to international standards, the prime minister said after meeting on February 22nd with Financial Information Processing Unit (UTRF) chief Hassan Alaoui Abdellaoui.

The UTRF must receive full support in its work to implement and monitor such arrangements, he reiterated. The unit was created in April 2009 to assist in protecting the integrity of the Moroccan economy and financial system by working against money laundering and the financing of terrorism.

There has been tangible improvement in terms of legislation, according to Abdellaoui. In addition to new legal provisions in the penal code, fresh regulatory measures have been introduced and awareness campaigns launched. Legal actions have been taken against groups and individuals involved in such activities.

Morocco is gradually toughening up its judicial arsenal, establishing a link between money laundering and terrorism, according to political analyst Ahmed Mernissi. The latest legal amendments define terror funding, along with activities that can be construed as terror funding, as acts of terrorism. Money laundering is illegal, even if the original crime was committed abroad.

The law makes full confiscation of the goods and products used to commit the crime mandatory, and provides for the confiscation of the equivalent value of such goods and products.

Operationally, the UTRF’s capacities have increased both in terms of human resources and logistics. The unit recruited and trained new officers and launched a new information system specifically to deal with financial information.

Related Articles

Morocco works to manage popular discontent

2012-01-20

Morocco strengthens ties with Spain

2012-01-20

Calls grow for int’l co-operation against terrorism

2010-03-25

Moroccan government holds first meeting

2012-01-10

Moroccan ministers disclose assets

2012-01-29

At the international level, the UTRF inked a number of memorandums of understanding to allow information exchange with foreign financial intelligence units (FIUs). Among them is a co-operation accord signed with Tunisia’s Central Bank and Financial Analysis Committee (CTAF) on January 27th.

Under the agreement, the two units are committed to collaboration in the development of their respective laws and regulations to meet current standards and to exchange any information in their possession which may be of use in accomplishing their tasks.

There is a similar agreement between Rabat and Algiers, which was signed last year.

According to Abdellaoui, the challenge now is to avoid any negative assessment which could affect Morocco’s standing internationally by making any necessary amendments to criminalise terror financing.

.