By Maja Gojkovic

Spanish Police have detained two men that are wanted by the Moroccan authorities in relation to the May 2003 suicide bombing in Casablanca. The two men were arrested in Melilla of Morocco’s North coast.

One of the men detained is Ali Aarass who is wanted over the attack in which 45 people were killed including 12 bombers. The second man Mohamed El Bay is wanted for his links to an extremist group.

Reports say the both of the mens homes in Melilla were searched during the operation and a number of documents were ceased. Neither of the suspects faces charges in Spain, extradition proceedings are being started, Spain’s Civil Guard said in a statement.

The attacks in May 2003 targeted a Jewish community centre, a Spanish restaurant & social club, a hotel and the Belgian consulate. There were five explosions that occurred within 30 minutes of each other. The blasts were triggered by suicide bombers carrying explosives.

Since the May 2003 bombings Moroccan authorities have said they disrupted an extremist group planning to carry out terror attacks, and arrested more than 30 people in an operation in February.

The network had plotted to assassinate Moroccan cabinet ministers and members of the North African kingdom’s Jewish community, the Associated Press (AP) reported. According to a Civil Guard, Mr El Bay was on a mission to forge links with traffickers in central Europe in order to gain access to weapons and explosives.