A Moroccan government official says authorities are investigating a possible al-Qaida link to a bombing Thursday in Marrakech that left 16 people dead.
Communications Minister Khalid Naciri said Friday that investigators are pursuing all possible leads, including al-Qaida which has an active offshoot in the region.
The blast tore the facade off a two-story cafe in Jemaa el-Fna square in the heart of Marrakech. Authorities say at least 10 foreigners were among the dead.
Some witnesses said the attack appeared to be a suicide bombing.
But on Friday, Morocco's interior minister said the bomb was detonated remotely, and was composed of chemical materials and explosives.
Morocco was rocked by a series of Islamist extremist attacks in 2003 that left 45 people dead, including 12 suicide bombers.
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Thursday described the bombing as a cowardly attack and offered U.S. assistance.
U.N. Secretary Ban Ki-moon said he was "appalled" by the bombing and said "no political objective justifies or is served by such heinous acts."