Moroccan Authorities Disrupt Planned Attacks by Islamic State Cell
On July 6, 2023, Morocco's counterterrorism agency announced that it had successfully thwarted a series of attack plots aimed at sensitive locations and public safety, orchestrated by a cell affiliated with the Islamic State's operations in the Sahel region. The Central Bureau for Judicial Investigations (BCIJ) reported that ten suspects were apprehended in a series of coordinated operations across several cities, including Agadir, Taroudant, Casablanca, Hajeb, Tetouan, Fqih Ben Salah, and Safi.
Initial investigations revealed that the suspects had pledged their allegiance to the Islamic State and were receiving direct orders from the group's Sahel branch to execute attacks within Moroccan territory. This operation highlights the significant threat posed by jihadist factions that have been progressively expanding their influence in the Sahel, particularly in nations such as Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, where both Islamic State and al-Qaeda affiliates are active.
During the searches conducted as part of the operation, security forces uncovered an alarming cache of materials, including bladed weapons, military-style apparel, documents detailing the creation of explosive devices, various digital materials, and chemical substances. Additionally, investigators discovered a modified vehicle, which was suspected to be intended for use in either a suicide bombing or a vehicle-ramming attack. The BCIJ also reported recovering butane gas cylinders and pressure cookers—some of which were filled with nails and others connected to electrical wiring—stored in a warehouse linked to the group.
According to BCIJ statistics, over the past few years, Islamic State branches in Africa have recruited more than 130 Moroccan fighters. Since its inception in 2015, the BCIJ has been instrumental in dismantling numerous militant cells, resulting in the arrest of over 1,000 individuals suspected of jihadist activities. The last major jihadist incident in Morocco occurred in 2023 when three individuals aligned with the Islamic State killed a Moroccan police officer in Casablanca.
As reported by kfgo.com.
