The suicide bombers used homemade explosives stuffed into backpacks and detonated at almost precisely the same time in five locations. Twelve of the 14 attackers – all Moroccan – died.The two new arrests bring to three the number of foreigners being held in connection with the suicide bombings. Pierre Robert, a French citizen who converted to Islam and lives in Tangiers, was arrested 3 June, suspected of being a leader of a militant cell in northern Morocco. An investigation showed he had no direct link to the Casablanca attacks. He has been charged with having organised explosives training for militants.More than 240 people allegedly linked to the Salafiya Jihadia have been detained since the bombings, and several trials are under way.

Twenty-nine members of Salafist Jihad were given sentences yesterday of up to 30 years in prison on charges including belonging to a criminal organisation, kidnap and inciting violence. The sentences, not directly linked to the Casablanca blasts, stemmed from a clampdown on militants that followed the atrocities.The bombings are believed to have been carried out by sympathisers of the ultra-conservative Salafist Jihad. The suspected mastermind of the terrorist attacks died shortly after being arrested by police in May. No group has claimed responsibility for the blasts.The trial of four Moroccans charged with being religious leaders of the Salafist Jihad and having influenced the suicide bombers was postponed yesterday.. Nato’s senior commander has asked for the power to order a new, 6,000-strong rapid reaction force into action before getting full backing from all 19 alliance nations. They also suggest that, post-Iraq, the US would like to construct coalitions of the willing within Nato, as it expands from 19 to 26 nations.”I don’t think anyone wants Nato, which is the ultimate coalition of the willing, to be by-passed by other coalitions of the willing”, the general said.But his ideas would give more flexibility to bypass political problems from governments, particularly in “Old Europe”, where US-backed action is more controversial.In October, the alliance launches the Nato Response Force (NRF), made up of about 6,000 troops backed by air and sea power, who must be ready for deployment within five days. General Jones said the construction of the force was the “instrument of change” for Nato in reforming its Cold War-era structures.General Jones sees the alliance divided into two tiers: one group of those countries that will permit forces to be used quickly, and a second that require wider consultation and parliamentary approval.

The outer group of more cautious nations would offer troops on a “lower readiness” and join operations later.General Jones said that, given the NRF’s remit, “you would want as few impediments [as possible] when the time comes and you have a real emergency” He added: “I think there is … the logical need to examine our decision-making process to ensure that it is flexible enough to be able to be used. As you develop a force like this there will have to be some accommodations as to the rules of deploying that force.”But the principle of unanimous political agreement would be maintained, with every nation able to veto an operation. “You don’t want to fall away from the principle of consensus,” he added.Doubts remain, however, whether there will be enough agreement within the alliance about what type of missions the NRF should be used for. Many diplomats doubt whether the doves, led by France and Germany, would agree to give any blessing to some of the projects envisaged by Pentagon hawks.General Jones would not be drawn into the debate on whether it could take pre-emptive action but said that it should be “proactive”..

Eddie Jordan announced yesterday that he was abandoning his £150m lawsuit against Vodafone, hours before the judge’s ruling was expected to be made public. It said it had also agreed to pay Vodafone’s legal fees.Lawyers for Jordan Grand Prix Limited tried to keep Mr Justice Langley’s ruling confidential, a High Court application that he rejected. But the judge said that he would delay publication until 4pm on Monday to give lawyers an opportunity to seek an appeal.Last night, Mr Jordan said: “Jordan Grand Prix has decided to withdraw its legal claim against Vodafone. We realise that for the good of the sport it is in everyone’s interest to draw a line under this episode and concentrate on the rest of this season and the years ahead.”The court was told that the case centred around a private telephone conversation between Mr Jordan and David Haines, the global branding director of the telecommunications firm, in which the latter said: “You have got the deal.”The short sentence, Mr Jordan’s lawyers claimed, meant that Mr Haines had agreed to a £100m, three-year sponsorship contract in which the Formula 1 team would display the Vodafone brand on its cars. The mobile phone giant was later enticed away by Ferrari which, Jordan claimed, amounted to a breach of contract.Alan Boyle QC, for Jordan Grand Prix, said that the words – spoken on 22 March 2001 – referred to an existing offer that both sides knew had been tabled and negotiated at earlier meetings.