The suspects, including a Moroccan living in Belgium, were arrested in the cities of Nador and Fez, the MAP agency reported, citing unidentified police officials. The report did not say when the arrests took place.

They are accused of having link to cells sending fighters to Iraq's insurgency and to camps of an Algeria-based militant group that calls itself Al-Qaida in Islamic North Africa.

The report said authorities believe the suspects were planning attacks in Morocco and Belgium, without elaborating.

In Brussels, Lieve Pellens, a spokeswoman for the Belgian Federal Prosecutors Service, told The Associated Press that her office was "not aware" of the case, and was contacting Moroccan authorities.

A Moroccan court is already investigating a terrorism cell dismantled in the northern city of Tetouan and accused of supporting insurgents in Iraq.

Last week, the court said it was broadening its investigation into the cell to include the relatives of some of the 27 people accused of "recruiting Moroccans for Iraq" and "forming a criminal gang with the goal of preparing and committing terrorist acts."

The group was headed by Ahmed Safri, a Swede of Moroccan origin who returned to his native country to organize a team that sent several fighters to Iraq, authorities say.

Several suspects testified Thursday, and some acknowledged they had travelled to Iraq but said they did not go with the intent to join the insurgency against the US-led coalition forces there. The trial resumes on Tuesday.

From timesofindia.indiatimes.com