RABAT, June 16 (IslamOnline) - The Moroccan government has pressed charges against three Saudis, whom they suspect have Al-Qaeda links, accusing them of having a criminal gang, of premeditated murder, of vandalism by using explosives and of faking official documents.

A Moroccan was also accused by the government of covering up for criminals.

The Moroccan authorities said that those arrested secretly belong to Al-Qaeda and there has been no information released about them with the exception of their identities.

The detainees include three Saudis: Zuhair Mohammad Hilal Al-Nibitti, a 35-year-old mechanic, Hilal Jaber Awad Al-Aseeri, 31, and Abdullah bin Misfir Al-Azizi Al-Ghamdi, 22, and the Moroccan, 27, whose name was Mohammad as well as three Moroccan women married ‘Urfi (without documents) to the Saudis.

‘Urfi marriages are not recognized in Morocco.

The seven were transferred to the public prosecutor in Casablanca amidst heavy security on Thursday, June 13 and security forces surrounded the courthouse as other forces were spread inside the court.

Meanwhile, Moroccan daily newspaper, Al-Sabah said Saturday, June 15, that their confessions included information that singles out Moroccan businessmen with Al-Qaeda links and planning attacks against the NATO fleet in the Strait of Gibraltar.

The questioning continued for 12 hours and ended with a list of accusations against the Saudis. This list included premeditated murder, forming a criminal gang, vandalism by suing explosives on strategic locations, faking official documents, illegal residency in Morocco, corruption and hiding the identity of a child who came from the illegal ‘Urfi marriage.

The Moroccan women were accused with not informing the authorities of the plots, for facilitating illegal residencies, and corruption for their ‘Urfi marriages.

At the same time, security sources which asked to remain unidentified said that the group were using the bank account which belonged to the Moroccan man, Mohammad.

Meanwhile, Nadia Yaseen, daughter of Sheikh Abdulsalam Yaseen, head of the Justice and Wellness group which is banned in Morocco, said in a report published Saturday, June 15, that the news is only a U.S. excuse to widen U.S. influence in Morocco.

Sources in the Moroccan Ministry of Interior said that there is a Saudi security delegation in Morocco assisting in the investigations.

The three Saudis were arrested in the Mohammad V airport in Casablanca last month, as they were suspected of having Al-Qaeda links and planning to attack American warships in the Strait of Gibraltar.

The report published by the ministry on Wednesday, June 12, said that the arrests was a result of cooperation between the Moroccan security forces and the United States.

This confirms what was reported in Moroccan and French media, especially L’Express magazine, that the confessions of some Moroccans who are detained in Guantanamo led to the arrest of those suspected of Al-Qaeda links in Morocco.

The U.K. daily newspaper, the Independent, reported on June 12 that the alleged plot which was uncovered by the Moroccan security services is said to have been modeled on the attack on the American destroyer USS Cole in October 2000 in Yemen, when two bombers rammed a dinghy into its side, killing themselves and 17 sailors.