Moroccan Gibraltarians concerned about community's ties to terrorism

Illustration only

Resentment against police among youth reported

GIBRALTAR (Agencies) The Moroccan business community is worried that the youth of their community are reading radical jihadist websites, according to a recent media items on the Rock. The Imam of the Line Wall mosque, Abdoul Samade , is leading an initiative to integrate Gibraltar-born Moroccans into the wider community following concerns about some resentment among younger citizens towards authority and the police.  The religious leader adds that he is trying to impart that to today’s youth. He says young Moroccans are resentful of the Gibraltar Government and the Royal Gibraltar Police, and believes their views are distorted.>>>PLEASE BE AWARE THAT ITEMS SUCH AS THIS WILL BE SUBJECT TO SUBSCRIPTION IN THE FUTURE. In the meantime you can help us stay free by making a donation through our PayPal facility on the sidebar.

"It is important to steer youths in the right direction and plans to ensure they are involved in community activities," says Samade. For his part, Said Gabrouha, a leading member of the Moroccan business community stated that he and his community does not believe that the resentment among the youth is any greater than that among other groups in Gibraltar, despite the fact that there have been several incidents of confrontation among groups. "Violence," says Gabrouha, "gets you nowhere."

However, he does confirm that resentment does exist among the Moroccan youth against the RGP and Government, as there have been several reports about occasional alleged mistreatment, or that their rights have not been recognised. There are two members of the Moroccan community in the Royal Gibraltar Police so, says Gabrouha, integration is 'completely absolute'.