The move came in response to the April escape of nine al-Qaida insurgents, one of whom was under a death sentence, the Med Basin Newsliine reported Thursday.

The king put Moulay Hafid Benhachem in charge of safety and discipline in the country's prisons. Soufiane Oumrou was appointed director of prisoner and prison security and Mustapha Hilmi director of social and cultural action, which deals with assisting prisoners returning to society.

At least three guards were charged with negligence in the insurgents' escape from Casablanca's Kenits prison. The escapees had been convicted for a role in 2003 suicide bombings.