Join on WhatsApp
Join on Telegram
Rabat – Morocco’s Central Bureau of Judicial Investigation (BCIJ) dismantled five-member active terrorist cell with alleged connections to Daesh, in collaboration with Spanish authorities on Tuesday.
A statement by Morocco’s Ministry of Interior said today that the five suspects are aged between 22 and 33 and active between Morocco and Spain. The BCIJ and Spanish authorities carried out the arrest operations in Fnideq, a city in northern Morocco and Bilbao in northern Spain.
The operation, which is part of the cooperation between the Moroccan and Spanish security services against terrorism, allowed for the arrest of three Moroccan members in Fnideq and two other individuals of Moroccan and Senegalese nationality in Bilbao, Spain.
Authorities seized knives, military uniforms, and electronic equipment, during the arrest operation.
According to initial investigations, the members of this cell were in contact with fighters from Syrian-Iraqi terrorist cells and were recruiting young people hoping to join the Daesh ranks in order to commit terrorist acts and undermine the security of the countries.
The members of the cell have been placed in custody, while investigations are undergoing to determine other possible suspects.
This was the third terrorist cell dismantled in Morocco, after members of two other terrorist groups were apprehended in February and March.
On February 21, the BCIJ dismantled a terror cell made up of six extremist supporters of ISIS in Tangier, including one member of the Polisario Front.
In March, BCIJ dismantled another terror cell in the cities of Oued Zem, near Khouribga, and Tangier. Investigations revealed that the members–aged 21 and 31 years old–were planning to murder one of their own, after doubting his loyalty to the terrorist organization.
