By Henrique Almeida

RABAT, April 16 (Reuters) - Portugal said on Monday one of its goals when it takes up the European Union's presidency in July will be to strengthen EU ties with Africa to help fight terrorism.

"Together we can search for a solution for this international problem (of terrorism)," Portuguese Prime Minister Jose Socrates said at the start of a visit to Morocco, which has been rocked by several suicide bombings.

"We condemn these attacks and stand by Morocco's people and government in their fight against terrorism," Socrates told reporters in the capital Rabat.

Last week, two suicide bombers killed themselves in an attack on U.S. diplomatic offices in Morocco's commercial hub Casablanca in the first such targeted bombings in four years.

The attack occurred after three suicide bombers killed themselves in a poor neighbourhood of Casablanca when police raided a house and shot dead a fourth bomber.

Analysts say the suicide bombings in Morocco and twin blasts that killed 33 in Algiers last week mark a sharp expansion in the threat from armed groups seeking to establish Islamic rule in North Africa.

Al Qaeda has said it also plans to re-establish Islamic rule in parts of Spain and Portugal, governed at times by Muslims for eight centuries until their defeat in 1492 by Christian forces.

AlertNet news is provided by