Morocco banned an Islamist party on Wednesday after authorities linked its leader to what they called a terrorist network rounded up by police this week.
 
The prime minister's office made the announcement affecting the al Badil al Hadari (Civilised Alternative) party, which had been among Islamist parties allowed to operate legally and took part in national elections in September.

Al Hadari's chief, Mustapha Moatassim, was among 32 people arrested in a police operation on Monday and Tuesday and accused of planning attacks against unspecified targets in Morocco.

It was the first time a leader of a legal Islamist party had been linked to terrorism.

Three other radical Islamist underground groups were linked to the network, Prime Minister Abbas El Fassi's office said, as well as a group widely known as moderate, the Oumma Movement.

Authorities said the terrorism network had unspecified links abroad, which Moroccan newspapers said were suspected to include Iran-backed Lebanese Hezbollah guerrillas.

Abdelhafid Sriti, Hezbollah's Al Manar television correspondent in Morocco, was among the 32 detained.

Police said the network was headed by Abdelkader Belliraj, a Moroccan who lived in Belgium.

"The prime minister decreed the dismantling of al Badil al Hadari within the framework of the break-up of the Belliraj terrorist network and in the light of the proven links between this network and the creation of this party," Fassi's office said in a statement.

It added there were also "serious indications of the involvement of the party's main leaders" in the network.

WEAPONS

The Interior ministry said police discovered at least 34 weapons, including two Israeli-made UZI assault rifles, when they raided homes and offices of the suspects.

It also said a member of the network had carried out a hold-up on a Brussels subsidiary of business security firm Brink's CO in 2000 to steal 17.5 million euros, with the help of European gangsters.