Suspected ISIS terrorists branded two Scandinavian women the 'enemies of God' as they filmed themselves decapitating one of the tourists in Morocco.

Maren Ueland, 28, from Norway, and Louisa Vesterager Jespersen, 24, from Denmark, were found dead near the village of Imlil in Morocco's High Atlas mountains on Monday.

A video showing the murder of one of the women has been recognised as genuine, Danish intelligence service said today adding that the killings can be connected to ISIS.

Men in the gruesome clip can be heard shouting 'it's Allah's will' while there are claims that the words 'this is for Syria' were used, in an apparent reference to Western bombing missions in the war-torn country.

Separate footage has emerged today showing four men suspected of carrying out the attack pledging their alliance to ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

Sitting in front of a black and white flag, one is seen brandishing a knife as they condemn 'destruction caused by the warplanes of the Crusader alliance'. They also appear to taunt Morocco's intelligence service, saying 'where is your knowledge? For here we are...'

This morning, a series of fearsome knives were found on a bus in Marrakesh as three suspects were arrested over the atrocity. Yesterday, a fourth man was held, suspected of belonging to an Islamic extremist group.

Online footage has emerged appearing to show four men suspected of launching the attack pledging their alliance to ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. One of them can be seen brandishing a knife

ISIS terrorists are suspected of killing two Scandinavian women - Maren Ueland and Louisa Vesterager Jespersen - in Morocco. It comes as police announced three suspects had been arrested on a bus in Marrakesh (pictured)

Three fugitive suspects have been arrested in Marrakesh after an intensive manhunt. Pictured is one of the four men held over the murders

A picture has emerged showing a series of large knives the suspected killers wielded

Maren Ueland (right), 28, from Norway, and Louisa Vesterager Jespersen (left), 24, from Denmark, were found dead near the village of Imlil in Morocco's High Atlas mountains on Monday

Today's three arrests were made at a bus station in Marrakesh after a trader alerted police when he saw the knives they were carrying as they tried to buy water. Investigators are pictured next to the bus where the men were arrested

Ms Ueland and Ms Vesterager Jespersen, who were studying to be outdoor guides at a Norwegian university, were spotted with three men in Marrakesh before heading to the Atlas mountains to hike.

All four suspects are reportedly between the ages of 25 and 33.

Three have been identified by their initials and two of them have been pictured wearing skullcaps and heavy beards.

'RA', from the small village of Douar el Caïd, outside Marrakesh, was born in 1985 and works as a salesman, officials said.

The second suspect, 'AE', a carpenter born in 1991, lives in the Azzouzia district of Marrakesh.

The third, 'OA', born in 1993, lives in the Derb Zeroual neighbourhood of Marrakesh. No employment details were given.

Moroccan police officers waiting outside a morgue in the capital Marrakesh, ahead of the transportation of the bodies of the two murdered Scandinavian hikers to the airport

The bodies of Danish student Louisa Vesterager Jespersen, 24, and 28-year-old Maren Ueland from Norway were found on December 17, after the two friends had pitched their tent at an isolated mountain site two hours' walk from the tourist village of Imlil

'Shake the humiliation placed on you - get mad angry': 'ISIS fanatics' are shown in ranting video Footage has emerged today showing four men suspected of carrying out the attack in Morocco pledging their alliance to ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Sitting in front of a black and white flag, one is seen brandishing a knife as they condemn 'destruction caused by the warplanes of the Crusader alliance'. They also appear to taunt Morocco's intelligence service, saying 'where is your knowledge? For here we are...' A man starts by reading 'Al Fatiha' which is the Koranic verse that each Muslim should know and recite by heart to prove one is a Muslim. He says: 'We are the first to see the proof of destruction caused by the Crusaders' Alliance air raids on our brothers.' The man recites another verse and proceeds to 'quote' the prophet as saying: 'Fight those who do not believe in the Hereafter and say, there's no god but Allah and that I am his Prophet and if they say so, they should make their blood and money available to us.' Footage has emerged of four men suspected of carrying out the attack in Morocco pledging their alliance to ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi He goes on to address the 'Calif (ISIS boss Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi) and our brothers that you have loyal soldiers in the far Maghreb (Morocco) that no one knows about except Allah and they will be victorious, God's willing, for all the Muslims.' 'Our message to all Muslims on social media: May Allah bless you and, may Allah thank your endeavour, and Allah will compensate you plenty, if you keep on the JIHAD for Allah. 'Keep fighting the enemies of Allah, wherever you are, you have no excuse and, be informed that we are your supporters... you have allies among us. Be informed that we will not enjoy the living in a land that is governed by anything else than the shariah law of Allah. We are the first to see the destruction caused (by) the crusaders' Alliance bombing of our brothers...' 'I pray upon you to shake the humiliation placed on you, get mad angry. and this is our message to the king, the homosexual...' The man waves his machete in the air and repeats: 'Feel your necks, touch your necks.' The four men put their hands on top of each other and repeat three times their allegiance to Abu Bakr el Bhaghdadi: 'We pledge allegiance to the Prince of Faithfuls, Ibrahim Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the Calif of Muslims, al-Husseini, al-Qoraychi, we will be loyal and obedient to him in the Mashreq and Maghreb, in wealth and riches and poor times, and God is our witness... ' Then the first man shouts:' Takbir,' and the four answer together: 'Allah W'akbar' Finally, the four men raise their index fingers as in ISIS allegiance sign. Advertisement

Today's three arrests were made at a bus station in Marrakesh after a trader alerted police when he saw the knives they were carrying as they tried to buy water.

Police boarded the bus and seized four knives, including blades of machete size, as the bus was leaving to travel to the southern seaside town of Agadir.

The ticket inspector on the bus, Abdulrahim, said: 'We came from Azilal and stopped in Marrakesh before continuing to Agadir.

'We picked up three people. They bought their tickets. When the bus left the station, a policeman asked me to close the door of the bus, because we normally leave it open for other people to jump on.

'Then he told me to stop the bus in front of the Ryad Mogador hotel. Then the police got on the bus and they went to check the guys and they found four big knives.'

The driver added: 'Passengers on the bus were very afraid because the police surrounded the bus and the area around it.'

Danish Prime Minister Lars Loekke Rasmussen confirmed the victims' identities as Louisa Vesterager Jespersen (pictured), of Denmark, and Maren Ueland, from Norway

Police launched an intensive manhunt after Maren Ueland and Louisa Vesterager Jespersen were found dead. Local media earlier released these images of three suspects

The four suspects are all thought to be from the Marrakesh area. Police have not ruled out a terror link to the murders

Ms Vesterager Jespersen, left, and Ms Ueland, right were both named in Scandinavian media on Monday as the two women found murdered in Morocco

Meanwhile, preliminary investigations of a video shared on social media purporting to show the killing of one of the tourists had found that it was shot in a different place from where the bodies were found, a police source told Reuters.

'The video and preliminary investigation according to the Moroccan authorities indicate that the killings may be related to the terrorist organisation Islamic State,' the Danish intelligence service said in a statement.

'This is a case of an unusually bestial killing of two totally innocent young women,' it said.

This morning, Denmark's prime minister said the killings can be considered 'politically motivated and thus an act of terror'. Lars Loekke Rasmussen said that 'there are still dark forces that want to fight our values' and 'we must not give in.'

Witnesses said that three men from Marrakesh were seen camping close to the women, and local media had earlier reported that sexual assault may have been the motive for the crime.

'ISIS terrorist' was 'obsessed with hunting and refused to work even when his wife miscarried' One of the alleged killers of the two Scandinavian women was obsessed with hunting and refused to get a job, his wife has said, even when she miscarried, while his brother said that he was 'illiterate.' The woman, who dressed in a Niqab and asked not to be named, said that her husband showed no signs of being a killer in the days leading up to the murder. 'We have never seen anything strange in his behaviour,' she said. 'His friends were normal too. They used to just knock on his door and go hunting together. 'He used to like hunting very much. The only problem I had with him is that he doesn't like to work, so we were arguing all the time about that. 'Apart from that, everything was normal. Even my parents spoke to him and told him he had to find a job. 'I was pregnant and I had a problem and I lost the baby but still he didn't want to get a job.' The brother (right, with his back turned and being interviewed on television) of one of the suspects has said the alleged killer was controlled by an ISIS cell, raising fears of an extensive terror network in Morocco She added: 'Today, his mother told me the police raided their house. 'I asked how she felt and she said she was shocked and afraid. What can I say? I hope that God will show the truth. I have nothing more to say.' Meanwhile his brother said the alleged killer was controlled by an ISIS cell, raising fears of an extensive terror network in Morocco. The brother, who declined to give his name and was pictured only from behind, said his brother, whom he named as 'Younes', was 'illiterate' and 'impressionable'. 'My brother was just a young guy like all the others. Then he grew a beard and became religious,' he said. 'The first thing you have to know is that he is illiterate. That means it is easy for criminals to influence him to do whatever they want. 'Now the Government and those responsible have to find those people who convinced these impressionable young people to do this. 'Only God knows who influenced him. The police have to control those cells. They have to control them throughout the country because they are brainwashing our brothers and children.' When asked about the days leading up to the crime, he said: 'My brother was normal. We didn't see any change in him. 'He went to the mosque as normal, he went out to town as normal. But he was meeting friends all the time and we don't know what they did together. 'For sure, he was meeting the people who brainwashed him. Someone was telling him that the religion says certain things, and they were trying to convince him. 'Since he is illiterate, it is the government's fault because the education system is not good.' He added: 'The last time I saw him was on Thursday. I didn't see him since and the crime happened on Sunday. Until today I cannot believe he did it. 'He police came and checked his room and they didn't find anything. So we don't know if he was really a part of this crime or not.' The brother pointed out: 'We are against all crimes, and as Muslims we know that there is nothing in the religion that says you have to kill someone. 'The Koran says that if someone kills one person without a reason, it is like he killed all of humanity. 'To kill someone in that way is not acceptable at all. As his brother, I am against what he did.' Advertisement

They were filmed fleeing the scene between 2am and 3am on Monday, on a camera belonging to another camper.

On Wednesday, police arrested a man from the city whose identity card was found at the murder scene.

Police are not thought to be seeking any other suspects in connection with the crime.

Officers have announced their intention to take the suspects to the murder scene to ask them how they committed the murder, but have not yet scheduled a time for it.

A French couple roday have described the horrific moment they found the two women's bodies.

Louisa Vesterager Jespersen, 24, pictured, and Ms Ueland, 28, were studying 'outdoor activities and cultural guidance' at a college in Norway

The video shows Ms Vesterager Jespersen hiking through snowy mountains as she speaks about her ambitions for the future

'YOU WERE THAT SINGLE CANDLE': DANISH VICTIM'S EX-BOYFRIEND'S EMOTIONAL LETTER TO HER Ms Vesterager Jespersen's former partner Glen Martin shared an emotional tribute to her on Facebook in a public post. Read the translation in full below. 'Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle' You were that single candle Louisa. I've been very unsure of whether I wanted to post anything here. As soon as I press the button, I confirm to myself that this has really happened. In the last few nights, I've gone to bed and hoped that I wake up the morning after and everything was just a very bad dream. But here's my letter to Louisa Vesterager Jespersen. Dear Amazing Lulu, Funny (at least you tried your best to be), full of energy, bundle of joy, inclusive, caring and thoughtful. These were just a few of your many amazing qualities. You were also known to be distracted, slow and clumsy. These qualities that made so many of us to scratch our head, but it was just these that made you unique and loved. You were so curious and everything fascinated you. Ms Vesterager Jespersen's former partner Glen Martin shared an emotional tribute to her on Facebook in a public post. They are pictured together in a Facebook photo I can't even count how many times we were on a trip together and I turned around and you had disappeared, only to find you way behind me because you had to look closer to a beautiful flower, a view or something that the average person wouldn't even notice. You saw beauty in every smallest detail. Louisa, I was so lucky to be your boyfriend for two years until this summer. We split up as best friends with tears in our eyes because we had realised that we didn't love each other anymore. We both were very sorry, but agreed that it was the way it was. It breaks my heart that there is someone who would hurt you, you always saw the very best in people and you brought out the best in the people around you. (unless we were standing in the hallway and were late for something important). Your life may not have been long, but it was rich in experiences. If you wanted something, it was very difficult to stop you. You traveled around the world just as you would, you would not be limited by fear of all the dangers of the world. You did what you wanted and you were tough. You will live on in the heart of all the people you have met through the journey of your life. I carry you with me the rest of the way and take you up on the mountains and down the rivers you never had the opportunity to experience. You have a special place in my heart and it is reserved for you the rest of my hopefully long life. To make room for you in my heart, I also had to give you a part of mine. So a part of me died Monday morning, but it also means that part of me is with you wherever you are now. No matter how lonely you are, I'll be there with your side and you with mine. I wish you good luck in your journey further wherever it takes you. I don't say goodbye, but at reunion my friend ❤ Your Gleno The ex boyfriend of Louisa Vesterager Jespersen paid a heartfelt tribute to her saying she was a 'beautiful human being' I want to finish off with a request to us left behind. Love will bring us through this, not hate, hate gives us nothing but anger. Love Louisa and her memory, love yourself and love the people around you. I want everybody that reads this post to call or text someone close to you and tell them how much they mean for you. I would give anything to tell Louisa one last time what a beautiful human being she was and how much she meant to me. I would also like for you who's reading this to leave a comment and in that comment your best memory with Louisa, text, photo or video. I would really appreciate that and I'm sure so many others will too! Let us show everyone this beautiful human being 'What we have once enjoyed deeply we can never lose. All that we love deeply becomes a part of us.' Advertisement

'My partner and I are on vacation and were going on a small hike. We saw a tent that was open. And we saw the two girls. It was horrible. They were corrupted,' the French woman, who refused to be named, told VG.

'Both of them lay outside the tent. The tent was open,' she said, adding that they took a photo to show police where they found them.

'We will think about this for the rest of our lives. We never saw the men, because we first came to the area in the morning. We were lucky, said the French woman, who is flying home with her partner today.

Earlier, a man who also saw the bodies said one of the victims had been decapitated.

The local resident, who asked not to be named for his own safety, said: 'I saw the two bodies before the police arrived. One was outside the tent and the other inside. The one outside had been beheaded.'

Forensic markers can be seen on the ground as police in Morocco investigate the killing of the two young women at the site of their tent

Forensics officers investigate a tent where the two Scandinavian women were discovered with their throats cut on Monday in the foothills of Mount Toubkal; a source said one was discovered outside the tent and another was inside

An employee of the Marrakesh hotel where two women stayed before their murder told MailOnline that three Moroccan men were waiting for the two women before they set off for the mountains.

'They came back at five in the afternoon to collect their luggage. They went and changed into outdoors clothes for the mountains,' the employer said.

'While they were packing, three other guys were waiting for them outside the hotel. They were Moroccans.

'They were young and they seemed clean-cut. They didn't seem like they were criminals. They were young, not more than 27 or 28 years old, and they seemed like nice guys, not at all suspicious.

'I think they met with the girls in the square and started speaking in English, and that's how they met. They were outside the hotel and didn't come in.

'Once they had changed, the girls packed their backpacks and left with the guys.

'They left the hotel and we didn't hear about them again until the 17th, when we heard that they had been murdered.'

Locals near the murder scene said three men seen pitching a tent nearby were not known in the area.

A hotelier said: 'Three homeless men came from Marrakesh and pitched a tent right next to the girls' tent. The men were not from round here.'

In a video Ms Vesterager Jespersen says: 'I'm trying to follow my dream to go into the Arctic'

Ms Jespersen (left and right) posted pictures of her hiking, kayaking and skiing on her social media accounts

As well as a video showing her trekking through snow covered hills, Ms Jespersen is also seen kayaking in fast running waters and rowing across a lake

In the video Ms Vesterager Jespersen can be seen laughing as she takes a sip from a coconut drink in an exotic country

Heartbreaking: Maren Ueland's mother, Irene, paid tribute to her daughter by sharing a picture on Facebook of her daughter and a huge dog

A picture taken on Thursday shows the tourist village of Imlil in the High Atlas range, which is used as a pit stop for trekkers

Both women had both been studying 'outdoor activities and cultural guidance' at a Norwegian college in the village of Bo

Both women's bodies were found in an isolated mountainous area six miles (ten kilometres) from the tourist village of Imlil

Fears for Morocco's key tourism sector after brutal 'ISIS' killings The brutal killings on Monday have sparked fears of a hit to Morocco's crucial tourist sector - which accounts for 10 per cent of national income. There were 10.3 million tourist arrivals in 2017 - mostly Europeans - with 2 million flocking to Marrakesh alone making the country Africa's top tourist destination last year. The kingdom's relative security has always been a major selling point along with its warm climate, art, culture, beaches and culinary offerings. But leading news website Medias 24 said today: 'What most of us had feared - that is to say a terrorist angle to the double crime in the region of Imlil, has been confirmed. Shock, sadness and revulsion are perceptible in Morocco.' Traumatised by the murders, residents in the village where the atrocity took place, are deeply fearful for their livelihoods, a tourism sector source told AFP. Morocco has been spared jihadist attacks since 2011, when a bomb attack on a cafe in Marrakesh's famed Jamaa El Fna Square killed 17 people, most of them European tourists. An attack in the North African state's financial capital Casablanca killed 33 people in 2003. Advertisement

Both women's bodies were found in an isolated mountainous area six miles (ten kilometres) from the tourist village of Imlil.

Authorities in Denmark and Norway have warned their citizens since the killings from hiking alone without local guides in Morocco.

Danish police said on Wednesday they had sent an officer to Morocco to assist in the investigation.

Ms Ueland's mother, Irene, told Norwegian broadcaster NRK: 'Her priority was safety. The girls had taken all precautionary measures before embarking on this trip.'

She said they had been studying together at the University of South-Eastern Norway and had gone backpacking for a month-long Christmas holiday on December 9.

Ms Jespersen's mother Helle Jesperse told BT the family was 'completely broken', after being told the news of her daughter's death just before Christmas.

On November 21, Ms Jespersen wrote of her trip on Facebook: 'Dear friends, im going to Morocco in december. Any of you guys whos around by then or any mountain friends who knows something about Mount Toubkal? [sic]'

She had also posted pictures from previous trips in which he is hiking in mountains as well as skiing and kayaking.

Imlil is as a starting point for trekking and climbing tours of Mount Toubkal, the highest summit in North Africa.

A police vehicle is seen on a inside the tourist village of Imlil in the High Atlas range on Thursday

A helicopter at the crime scene where the bodies of Ms Jespersen and Ms Ueland were discovered in Imlil in the High Atlas range in Morocco

A police truck on the outskirts of Imlil on Thursday as investigators continue to gather evidence into the killings

Hossein, a local guide in the area, said: 'It's very bad for the region. There will undoubtedly be cancellations.'

The killings have sparked fears of a hit to Morocco's crucial tourist sector - which accounts for 10 per cent of national income - as the kingdom's relative security has always been a major selling point.

'What most of us had feared - that is to say a terrorist angle to the double crime in the region of Imlil, has been confirmed,' said leading news website Medias 24.

'Shock, sadness and revulsion are perceptible in Morocco,' it added.

Traumatised by the murders, residents of Imlil are deeply fearful for their livelihoods, and have helped investigators in identifying suspects, a tourism sector source told AFP.

Morocco is generally considered safe for tourists but has battled with Islamic extremism for years, and more than a thousand Moroccans are believed to have joined ISIS.

An anti-terrorism rally is planned for Morocco's capital on Saturday.