Morocco's powerful Islamist organization said it is suspending its support for the country's pro-democracy movement, dealing a severe blow to the group that once put tens of thousands people on streets. The Islamist Al-Adl wal-Ihsane (Justice and Charity) group said they were suspending their participation in pro-democracy group behind the weekly protests in this North African monarchy since February, because it had been taken over by elements that wanted to weaken its demands for change. The absence of the Islamists from the protests will further weaken the reform movement, whose power has greatly diminished since an opposition party won the Nov. 25 elections in the kingdom. The Justice and Charity group has been a stalwart presence at the weekly democracy protests organized by February 20th pro-democracy movement that shook the country earlier this year. “They want to kill the enthusiasm of the youth and impose a limit on the demands and decrease the pressure for change,” the group said in a statement issued late Sunday.
