ISIS Threatens to Carry out Attacks in Morocco on New Years’ Eve

Taroudante – Morocco reportedly figures among the list of countries threatened to be a target of ISIS’ chemical attacks on New Year’s Eve.

“Intelligence services of various European countries have published reports in which they detail ISIS’ plan to attack several capitals of countries that are members of the coalition against this organization,” Arabic daily Assabah reported in its Monday issue.

According to the Moroccan daily, Morocco is among these countries where ISIS plans to carry terrorist attacks on December 31.

The extremist group did not specify the nature of the attacks, but reports by intelligence services said that terrorists could use sarin gases known to be extremely lethal.

In an audio message that surfaced online on Saturday, a man identified on ISIS-affiliated social media accounts as ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, threatened Israel and mocked the Western coalition aligned against his group.

The audio message was regarded by international media as a tool “to boost the jihadists’ morals,” encouraging them to commit more attacks against the U.S.-led coalition.

“Soldiers of the Islamic State be patient because you are on the right path,” the man is heard saying on the audio, encouraging ISIS fighters to “Be patient, because God is with you.”

According to the same source, confidential documents were distributed to secret service agencies in the targeted countries to raise the level of security in public places such as theaters, clubs and other venues hosting the New Year festivities.

Morocco’s intelligence services’ proactive and anticipatory multi-dimensional approach in fighting terrorism has proven efficient in thwarting potential threats on Moroccan soil.