Three Islamic State supporters sentenced to death in Morocco for beheading Scandinavian hikers Louisa Vesterager Jespersen and Maren Ueland
- Grisly murders of duo on trip in High Atlas Mountains were filmed on mobile phone in case that shocked the North African country
- Defendants asked God for forgiveness during final statements in packed courtroom
Three Islamic State group supporters were sentenced to death by a court in Morocco on Thursday over the beheadings of two Scandinavian women on a hiking trip in the High Atlas Mountains.
The defendants had asked God for forgiveness during their final statements at a packed courtroom in Salé, near the capital Rabat, following an 11-week trial of 24 suspects.
His expressionless face framed by a beard and a traditional kufi cap, alleged ringleader Abdessamad Ejjoud appealed to God to “forgive” him.
The 25-year-old street vendor and underground imam has confessed to orchestrating the attack with two other radicalised Moroccans last December.
He and two others admitted to killing 24-year-old Danish student Louisa Vesterager Jespersen and 28-year-old Norwegian Maren Ueland in murders that shocked the North African country.