Briton tells of 'chaos' after Casablanca bombs

A British man who escaped the terror attacks in Morocco tonight told of the “chaos” after a string of suicide bombs killed at least 40 people.

Mel Potter, 50, from Durham City, was returning to his hotel when five explosions rocked the heart of Casablanca last night.

The Hotel Safir, where he was staying with three British colleagues, was one of the buildings ravaged by the bomb blasts carried out by what is believed to have been a group of 10 suicide bombers.

The father of two rushed to the scene with the others and saw the shattered glass and debris.

He told PA News: “The reception area and the bar on the first floor were blown completely out.

“It was pretty chaotic. It was a bit surreal and I just didn’t quite think it was real – it was a strange feeling.”

He explained: “There was a suicide bomber who tried to get into the building. Two security people tried to force him back out and he detonated the device.”

Today, a Moroccan government official said at least 40 people were killed with 10 of those who perished believed to be the suicide bombers.

At least six Europeans – two Spaniards, two Italians and two French – were killed, according to the chief of medical services at the Azerroes Hospital, Said Ouhalia.

Three suspects, all Moroccan, were detained last night, the Arab MAP news agency reported.

The devastating bombings in Morocco’s financial city damaged a Jewish community centre and cemetery, the Belgian consulate, a Spanish restaurant and the Hotel Safir.

Police and rescue workers went to the sites to care for dazed, blood-splattered survivors, according to the Associated Press.

The shattered bodies of victims were scattered on the wreckage-strewn streets.

“I heard the bombs and then everything started burning,” Rafael Bermudez, the owner of the social club that houses a Spanish restaurant that suffered the brunt of the attack, told Spanish National Radio.

“Everyone was on the ground and there was blood everywhere. It was horrible.”

Lamia Haffi, an employee of the restaurant, told the radio station three attackers entered after killing a security guard by cutting his throat with a large knife. Then two of them detonated bombs.

“Inside, there was flesh. Flesh everywhere,” she said.

Tonight, British consular staff in the city were still waiting to find out if any other Britons had been caught up in the atrocity.

“It is a difficult situation,” a consular official said. “As far as we know there are no British casualties but we are still waiting for confirmation from the police.”

All the hospitals in Casablanca had been checked and no Britons had been found so far, said the spokesman.

Speaking after his ordeal, Mr Potter, who is married to Anne and has two children, Aron, aged 24, and 21-year-old Faye, said he and his colleagues had been due to fly out of Casablanca late last night.

As an employee for a clothing manufacturer, he spends four weeks in Casablanca and one week in Britain.

Last night he was accompanied by Tony Wilson, 51, from Peterlee, Brian Reed, aged 40, from Hartlepool and a fourth man who did not want to be named.

The men could not get back into the hotel to fetch their passports or travel documents after the blast, so they ended up staying with a Moroccan colleague.

“We have actually been back to the hotel this morning,” Mr Potter said. “The hotel had a glass front and that had shattered – the canopy was badly damaged.”

He said he had remained calm amid the devastation: “I don’t think I ever felt particularly scared, but you never imagine something like this ever happening.”

Mr Potter, who has travelled back and forth between Casablanca and Britain for the last 12 years said he would not be afraid to go back to the Moroccan city.

“We will take advice from the company that we work for,” he said. “But I certainly would not have any problems coming back.”

Mr Potter said they had rung their families immediately to tell them the news before it broke on television.

All four were due to fly out of Casablanca at 1.45am (local time), stop in Amsterdam and expect to land in Newcastle at 9am tomorrow.

Although the Moroccan government did not directly implicate Osama bin Laden’s al Qaida network, the attack confirmed fears that terrorists have plans to strike lightly-defended sites.

The blasts came just days after the terrorist strikes on Western compounds in Saudi Arabia which killed at least 34 people, including two Britons.

It also followed advice given to British nationals against travelling to six east African countries after the Government warned of a “clear terrorist threat” following the order on Thursday to suspend all British flights to and from Kenya.

The Foreign Office warning issued yesterday covered Uganda, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Somalia, Eritrea and Djibouti.

Lord Janner, vice president of the World Jewish Congress, called last night’s atrocity “vicious, evil and tragic”. Morocco is home to around 4,000 Jews.

He said: “These attacks show anti-western, anti-Semitic hatred.

“As a frequent visitor to Morocco over many years, I respect the authorities for the way in which they have helped ensure that their communities live together in peace and harmony.”

In London, the Moroccan National Tourist Office (MNTO) said they were “deeply shocked” by the bombings.

Ali El Kasmi said: “We are profoundly saddened that this should happen in the heart of Morocco – a country proud of its reputation for religious tolerance.”

Mr El Kasmi said all Morocco’s airports and sea ports, shops, restaurants and hotels remained open.

Morocco has been a staunch US ally, but recently expressed regret that a peaceful solution could not be found in the Iraq crisis.

The Moroccan public turned out in large numbers for anti-war protests against the Iraq war, including one in the capital, Rabat, in March which drew 200,000 people.