Increased communications “chatter” intercepted by US and British surveillance, coupled with some specific references reaching Western intelligence services last week, prompted warnings.Anti-terror specialists in Washington noted that responsibility for the Casablanca attacks had not been claimed, and that there seemed to be no US victims. All five attacks involved suicide bombings, and car bombs were not used, according to a government official. In recent days, the United States and Britain have issued warnings of possible attacks in Kenya and other East African countries, but not Morocco. Most of the victims were Moroccans, but at least six Europeans died, including two Spaniards, two Italians and two French.There has been no claim of responsibility, but suspicion fell immediately on a North African cell of al-Qa’ida.

Exactly where new attacks would take place is unclear, but potential threats to Western interests and “soft targets” extend from Arab countries to East Africa and Indonesia.Forty-one people died and scores were injured in the Casablanca attacks, which came just four days after synchronised suicide bombings on expatriate residences in the Saudi capital, Riyadh.Shortly after 9pm on Friday night, five suicide bombings in 30 minutes rocked the Moroccan city, striking a variety of targets, including a Spanish club and restaurant, a Jewish community centre, the Belgian Consulate and an international hotel.The bombers struck just hours after the US warned that Osama bin Laden’s network was preparing to strike again,Ten suicide bombers were among the dead. Most of the victims were thought to be Moroccan, but six foreigners – two Spaniards, two Italians and two French – were also killed, according to Said Ouhalia, medical chief at Averroes hospital.A spokesman for the Spanish Consulate in Casablanca, Ramon Iribaren, said identification of the bodies would be long and difficult.”Casablanca is a town in shock, Morocco is a country in shock. Restaurant owner Jean-Mark Levy said the bomb blew up in the middle of the narrow street and the consulate took most of the impact.Many of the bodies were burned beyond immediate recognition. We have a large, well-established Jewish community here but we’ve never felt under threat before.”There are about 4,000 Jews living in Casablanca.Opposite the Jewish-owned Positano Italian restaurant and not far from the US Consulate, the five-storey Belgian Consulate was also badly damaged.

“I thought at first the explosions were festive fireworks,” said Hassan, a Jewish resident, “but then we saw people starting to run and shout.”People jumped into their cars and headed out of the Jewish quarter. Broken glass, bricks and rubble littered the street where a car was burnt out in front of the building. The single-storey building was badly damaged, with bloodstains flung 16 feet up its fa?e. Three passers-by were also killed.The attack on the Jewish community centre appeared to have been carried out by bombers wearing explosives around their belts. Scores more of the wounded were in a serious condition last night.In the Jewish Alliance cultural centre in a lively part of town, a bomber blew himself up with what appeared to be a homemade device packed with nails.

But no Jews or Israelis were among the casualties and the group was later evacuated.Twenty-four people died immediately in the attacks and at least another 17 died from their wounds after being taken to the city’s Averroes hospital. “One of them stabbed one of my agents with a knife, the other agent tried to get hold of the second attacker, and that’s when he blew himself up.”Some 40 Israelis were staying at the Farah Hotel. The hotel security chief said two assailants burst in and were stopped by staff. But the tall hotel building’s fa?e was destroyed, its windows blown out, and distraught guests and onlookers wandered round in a daze.