Lawmaker Abdellatif Merdas shot dead in Casablanca

Moroccan police say a suspect has been
arrested after member of Constitutional Union
party is gunned down near his home.

Abdellatif Merdas, a Moroccan member of parliament, has
been shot dead in Casablanca, according to police.

The 53-year-old, a politician with the liberal Constitutional
Union party, was gunned down late on Tuesday near his 
home in the well-off southern district of Californie.

His assassins fled the scene, but police said on Wednesday
they had arrested a 27-year-old man suspected of links to
 the assault.

A raid on the suspect's home came up with two shotguns
similar to the one used in the attack, police said.

The assault is believed to be criminally motivated.

Initial investigations suggest that the suspect had previously
threatened Merdas with death due to alleged personal
differences, police said.

Merdas, who represented the Ben Ahmed district 60km
 south of the coastal city of Casablanca, was in his official 
car when he was hit three times by shotgun fire, ericgossip 
news websites reported.

Hit in the head, he succumbed to his wouds shortly
afterwards.

Local news websites showed photos of the scene and a 
car with broken windows, surrounded by police officers.

They said one or more attackers fled in a foreign-registered

vehicle.