HOW'S AL QAEDA DOIN'?

Moroccans Turn Out Against Terrorism (Reuters, May 26, 2003)

Tens of thousands of demonstrators chanting "no to terrorism" thronged the streets of Casablanca today, nine days after 43 people were killed in coordinated suicide attacks in the city.

"I am here for myself and for them, the next generation," said Abdellatif Ghanam, an unemployed night watchman, gesturing to his 6-year-old son. "The people who did those attacks are not followers of Islam in its true sense."

Morocco's largest opposition party, the Justice and Development Party (PJD), was banned along with other Islamic groups from taking part in the march, which was led by Prime Minister Driss Jettou.

The PJD has condemned the five almost simultaneous bombings that are believed to have been carried out by a small, ultra-conservative Islamic group, Assirat al-Moustaquim (the Righteous Path).

At a similar demonstration a week ago in Rabat, the Moroccan capital, young men threw tomatoes at PJD marchers.

Having lost three favorably disposed heads of state (Taliban, Saddam, Arafat), they now turn the infamous "Arab street" against themselves. Meanwhile, Democrats here claim they're "winning". If this is victory, we wish the Osamists further "success". Posted by Orrin Judd at May 27, 2003 10:13 AM