Denmark police prosecute 14 over sharing Morocco hikers 'murder video'

COPENHAGEN: Danish police on Thursday said they had launched prosecutions against 14 people suspected of sharing on social media the murder video of one of the two young Scandinavian hikers killed in Morocco.

Danish student Louisa Vesterager Jespersen, 24, and 28-year-old Norwegian Maren Ueland were found dead at an isolated hiking spot south of Marrakesh on December 17.

The pair were stabbed, had their throats slit and were then beheaded, according to Morocco’s counter-terror chief.

A video circulating on social networks at the time, believed authentic by authorities, showed one of the murders in the High Atlas mountains.

“The 14 people are accused of violating the penal code by sharing the video — usually via Facebook Messenger or other social networks,” said East Jutland police chief Michael Kjeldgaard in a statement.

Two of them are also accused of apologising for terrorism, the prosecution told AFP.

Six of those indicted, whose identities have not been revealed, are between 13 and 18 years old.

The grisly killings of the hikers shocked Morocco, where tourism is a cornerstone of the economy.

Moroccan authorities have called the killings a “terrorist” act and charged more than 20 people for their alleged involvement.

The authorities allege that the four main suspects in the murder were inspired by the Islamic State group, but say they were not in direct contact with IS members in Iraq or Syria.