(Aug. 5, 2010) On July 29, 2010, an appeals court in Senegal approved the extradition to their home country of three men from Morocco who had been accused of terrorism. The final decision on extradition is through a presidential decree. Si Mohamed, Mohamed Brigph, and Moulaye Abdelhani Nadane were the subjects of an extradition request from Morocco in June of this year. They are suspected of having been recruited by a terrorist organization based in Somalia with the purpose of carrying out attacks in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Morocco. According to Senegalese authorities, the three men were in transit in Dakar, Senegal, on their way to Somalia; they are currently in jail in Dakar. (Senegal to Extradite “Terrorists,” NEWS24.COM (July 29, 2010), http://www.news24.com/Africa/News/Senegal-to-extradite-terrorists-201007
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The lawyer for the accused men, Assane Dioma Ndiaye, has condemned the decision as based on maintaining “good relations between Senegal and Morocco” and stated that “reasons of state won out over humanitarian considerations and the international obligations of Senegal.” He expressed concern that the men would be tortured if returned to Morocco and added that a decision against extradition by Senegal's President would be “our last hope to avoid the irreparable.” (Id.)