(AFP) — About 50 Tunisian Salafist Muslims protested Tuesday at Tunis-Carthage airport against the expulsion of two Moroccan theologians banned from entering the country, an AFP reporter said.

According to police, about 300 Salafists, who favor a strict interpretation of Quranic law, arrived at the airport on Monday night to welcome their guests, Hassan Kattani and Omar El Hadouchi, who belong to the most radical Islamic movement in Morocco.

Both men were convicted of indoctrinating the Muslim suicide bombers who carried out the Casablanca attacks of May 16, 2003 that killed 45 people. They received a pardon last February.

“They are on the list of people banned from entry on to Tunisian territory and will be sent back home during the day,” Interior Ministry spokesman Khaled Tarrouche told AFP.

But the Salafists questioned the move.

“We welcome Nancy Ajram (a Lebanese pop singer) and not Omar El Hadouchi. Is she worth more than him?” asked one of the Salafists present by the entrance to the airport.