Toulouse Shooting Victim Buried in His Hometown in Morocco

Impact

Imad Ibn Ziaten, the French parachute regiment soldier of Moroccan origins shot dead by a gunman with alleged Al-Qaeda links in Toulouse on March 11, was buried in his hometown of M'diq, Morocco, on Sunday.

The burial expenses of the soldier will be paid by HM King Mohammed VI.

Thousands of townspeople in the seaside resort of M'diq joined the grieving relatives of Ziaten as the coffin was carried through the streets for burial by soldiers from France and Morocco.

The burial, was attended by Marc Laffineur, France's minister for military veteran affairs, and several French military officers.

"France will spare no effort in the fight against terrorism. Imad was an exemplary officer," said Laffineur after the burial.

Ziaten, was gunned down by Mohamed Merah, who also killed six other people in a series of gun attacks( two other soldiers of north African origin, three Jewish schoolchildren and a trainee rabbi), that sent a wave of terror through France.

Thousands of people in Paris and Toulouse marched silently Sunday urging unity and tolerance of all religions and cultures after the killings. An enormous French tricolour flag borne by dozens of marchers waved above the Paris march as it snaked away from the Place de la Bastille, birthplace of the French Revolution.