Morocco Seeks Extradition of Pilot Involved in Fatal Attack on Civil Guard Officers

Extradition Request and Ongoing Legal Proceedings

Morocco has initiated a formal request for the extradition of Karim El Baqqali, the pilot of a speedboat responsible for a tragic incident that resulted in the deaths of two Civil Guard officers after colliding with them at the Barbate port in February 2024. El Baqqali, who is the primary suspect in the widely reported Barbate case, is also facing separate drug trafficking charges in Rabat, which serves as the basis for the Moroccan judicial system's demand for his repatriation. The National Court's First Section will be tasked with reviewing this extradition request, although legal sources familiar with the situation have indicated to this publication that the likelihood of the request being executed is quite low.

The case relating to the attack that claimed the lives of Civil Guard officers Miguel Ángel González Gómez and David Pérez Carracedo made significant progress last week. The presiding judge decided to open oral proceedings regarding the events that transpired on the night of February 9, 2024, when a high-speed vessel helmed by El Baqqali crashed into a Civil Guard zodiac, resulting in the immediate death of the two agents and injuries to four other officials aboard the official boat.

This ruling, communicated to the involved parties last Friday, marks the conclusion of the investigative phase and paves the way for the impending trial, which is expected to be held with a jury in the Provincial Court.

Pursued Sentences and Civil Responsibility Claims

The prosecution is seeking a total sentence of 43 years in prison for Karim El Baqqali, taking into consideration the significant mitigating factor of his confession. The prosecution argues that the pilot is culpable of two completed murder charges, for which they seek a 20-year sentence (10 years for each murder); four attempted murder charges, also calling for 20 years of imprisonment (five years for each attempt); and one charge of aggravated assault using a dangerous instrument—a narco-speedboat—leading to a request for three years in prison along with a fine of 360 euros. Additionally, the pilot faces charges for property damage, for which the prosecution demands a fine of 960 euros (equivalent to four months at eight euros per day).

In terms of civil liability, the Public Prosecutor’s Office is demanding a compensation amounting to 2.5 million euros for the families of the deceased officers. Currently, Karim El Baqqali is held in provisional detention after surrendering to the authorities seven months following the incident.

The second defendant in the Barbate case is Yassine El Morabet, a crew member who was aboard the narco-speedboat with El Baqqali. The prosecution alleges that moments before the collision, El Morabet used a laser pointer aimed at the officers' faces to dazzle them. Consequently, he is charged with aggravated assault and faces a request for a three-year prison sentence and a fine of 360 euros. The Public Prosecutor’s Office is also considering El Morabet's confession in their case.

In March, the families of the deceased officers, who are pursuing a private prosecution, presented their preliminary conclusions, demanding a prison sentence of 119 years for Karim El Baqqali. They also requested a civil compensation of 2.5 million euros. Furthermore, several organizations linked to the Civil Guard, including the Unified Association of Civil Guards (AUGC), the Professional Association of Civil Guard Justice (Jucil), and others, are actively participating in the public prosecution, collectively seeking a sentence of 98 years for the pilot who crashed into the Civil Guard zodiac.

Two other Moroccan crew members on board the narco-speedboat during the incident will face separate charges for smuggling and belonging to a criminal group.

On February 9, 2024, a narco-speedboat collided with the zodiac of the Civil Guard’s Underwater Activities Group (GEAS) at Barbate port. This violent crash led to the immediate deaths of Miguel Ángel González, a 39-year-old diver from San Fernando, and David Pérez Carracedo, a 43-year-old resident of Navarra originally from Barcelona. Additionally, the incident resulted in injuries to four other officers.

As reported by diariodecadiz.es.