Letter: What one country is doing

Editor, Daily News:

My last trip to Morocco convinced me that this country takes seriously the fight against terrorism.

First, a high-ranking official from security services told me how strongly and efficiently the cooperation between his country and the United States works. Since the terrorist attack in Casablanca in 2003, the government and Moroccan people are aware that some extremist Muslims are planning to bring chaos and death to this peaceful country.

The Moroccan government refuses religious extremism. I was delighted to see, traveling through Casablanca, Rabat and Marrakech, that many streets, avenues and roads display a big sign showing a hand in red with this warning, written in Arabic and French: "Don't touch my country!" It is pretty impressive.

Elections for the Parliament are in sight: a group of candidates, Iranian-style, wants to impose restrictions on liberties that Moroccans enjoy. All people with whom I spoke told me that they will never succeed.

Second, illegal immigrants coming from sub-Saharan countries try to go through Moroccan borders in order to reach Europe. The Moroccan army patrols the border located along the Sahara desert between the Algerian border and the Atlantic Ocean.

The army pushes back illegal aliens: Sometimes skirmishes follow and some aliens are killed. Unfortunately this is the price aliens pay. Morocco can't afford to sustain an overwhelming invasion of foreigners without identification to avoid being sent back to their countries.

Anne Marie Gressani , Naples