Moroccan Police Foil Threatening Terrorist Schemes
On Monday, Moroccan law enforcement officials disclosed the successful disruption of highly sophisticated and perilous terrorist plans that posed a significant threat to public safety and order. In a coordinated police operation executed across multiple cities within the kingdom, authorities apprehended a total of ten extremists believed to be linked to these dangerous activities. The Central Bureau of Judicial Investigations (BCIJ) announced that the operation was initiated after receiving precise intelligence from the General Directorate of Territorial Surveillance (DGST), enabling them to thwart these advanced plots early on Monday morning.
The terrorist schemes were reportedly supported logistically and operationally by the Daesh faction operating in the Sahel region, with an explicit intention to destabilize public order and compromise the safety of both individuals and properties in Morocco. In a show of decisive action, DGST special forces conducted simultaneous intervention and arrest operations in several cities, including Agadir, Taroudant, Casablanca, El Hajeb, Tetouan, Fquih Ben Salah, and Safi. These operations were the culmination of extensive surveillance and investigative efforts led by field officers tasked with gathering and analyzing intelligence on this terrorist cell.
According to the BCIJ, the coordinated actions resulted in the capture of ten suspects connected to the execution of the terrorist plans, which had implications extending to various cities across Morocco. Among those detained were individuals with prior anti-terrorism law violations and a minor. Following the arrests, investigators swiftly commenced search operations in the residences of the suspects, ensuring that all legal protocols and procedural safeguards were adhered to. The searches, supported by national security canine units, led to the confiscation of bladed weapons and equipment intended for conducting terror-related activities.
The investigations further revealed the seizure of military uniforms and extremist literature outlining procedures for constructing explosive devices. Additionally, digital media was uncovered, including recordings that contained a pledge of allegiance to the Daesh organization and explicit threats to commit acts of subversion within Morocco. Notably, a search at a warehouse in Inezgane uncovered a modified 4×4 vehicle, adapted to run on butane gas, which was intended for use in a potential suicide bombing or vehicle-ramming attack targeting sensitive areas.
In light of the threat posed by the modified vehicle, emergency protocols were activated, leading to the evacuation of nearby residents before a specialized bomb disposal team from the General Directorate of National Security (DGSN) conducted a thorough examination of the vehicle using advanced remote-controlled robots and high-precision sensors. Following these assessments, crime scene investigators and judicial police officers were permitted to perform the necessary technical examinations on both the vehicle and the warehouse.
The search yielded additional discoveries, including a stockpile of butane gas cylinders and pressure cookers—some filled with nails and others rigged with electrical wires—as well as a welding machine and various chemicals requiring further scientific analysis to establish their intended use. Intelligence reports, bolstered by field investigations, indicated that the members of this terrorist cell had pledged allegiance to the self-proclaimed Daesh caliph and had established direct communication with leaders of the organization’s branch in the Sahel-Saharan region, who instructed them to remain in Morocco to advance their terrorist agenda while postponing plans to join the organization’s strongerholds outside the country.
The ongoing investigations aim to delve deeper into the suspects' backgrounds, assess their connections with the African branch of the terrorist organization in the Sahel-Saharan region, and evaluate the potential national and international ramifications of this terrorist cell. The major suspects remain in custody while the minor is under supervision for judicial inquiry.
As reported by apanews.net.
