On Monday, the Central Bureau of Judicial Investigations in Morocco, which specializes in combating terrorism, announced that it successfully thwarted dangerous terrorist schemes that were in advanced stages of preparation. These plots posed a significant threat to public order and the safety of individuals and property, being executed by extremists who coordinated logistically and received operational support from the ISIS branch in the Sahel region of Africa. The announcement was made based on precise intelligence provided by the General Directorate of Territorial Surveillance.
The investigation led to the arrest of ten suspects during coordinated operations across various cities, including Agadir, Taroudant, Casablanca, El Hajeb, Tetouan, Fkih Ben Salah, and Safi. Initial investigations revealed that the detainees had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State and received direct instructions from the group's branch in the Sahel to carry out attacks within Morocco.
Seized Explosives and Chemical Materials
This operation underscores the persistent threat posed by radical groups active in the Sahel, as affiliates of both ISIS and Al-Qaeda have expanded their presence in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger. The Central Bureau of Judicial Investigations' report highlights the alarming trend of these groups widening their operational scope, thus increasing the risk to regional stability.
During the raid, authorities discovered a cache of weapons, military clothing, documents detailing the assembly of explosive devices, as well as digital and chemical materials. A modified four-wheel-drive vehicle was also recovered, which had been adapted to run on butane gas, presumably for use in a terrorist operation involving either a suicide bombing or a vehicular attack targeting sensitive facilities and individuals. Furthermore, a collection of butane gas canisters and pressure cookers, some filled with nails and others connected to electrical wires, were found in a warehouse utilized by the group.
The most recent attack linked to extremists in Morocco occurred in 2023 when three individuals affiliated with ISIS killed a Moroccan police officer in Casablanca. According to statistics from the Central Bureau of Judicial Investigations, over 130 Moroccans have joined ISIS's ranks in Africa in recent years. Since its establishment in 2015, the bureau has dismantled numerous extremist cells and arrested more than a thousand suspects in connection to terrorism.
As reported by france24.com.
