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Rabat – A delegation from the UN Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED) visited Morocco on Wednesday, June 26, 2019, aiming to enhance the country’s contribution in the hard-fought battle against terrorism.
The UN delegation, led by the Executive Director of the Counter-Terrorism Executive Directorate, Michèle Coninsx was composed of ten experts from the UN and other international organizations.
According to the Moroccan Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the members of the UN delegation met with Moroccan state officials to discuss the global threat of terrorism and how to minimize its risks by promoting the Moroccan efforts on alleviating the current situation.
In December 2018, two Scandinavian tourists were murdered while hiking near Mount Toubkal, located in southwestern Morocco.
Moroccan authorities arrested 24 individuals connected with the brutal murders, including one having close links to “an extremist group.”
After the Imlil murders, the UK updated its foreign travel advisory for Morocco? warning British citizens that “attacks could be indiscriminate or target foreigners.”
“There’s considered to be a heightened threat of terrorist attacks globally against UK interests and British nationals, from groups or individuals motivated by the conflict in Iraq and Syria,” said a warning released by the UK government earlier this year. “You should be vigilant at this time.”
Following the UK, Canada also updated its travel advisory for Morocco, after officials discovered the murdered bodies of the Scandinavian victims.
Read also: Terror Attacks Kills 7 Egyptian Policemen in North Sinai amid CAN 2019
Moroccan authorities regularly report the disruption of terrorist attacks across the country. In April, the Moroccan police arrested seven alleged jihadists with links to the Islamic State in the coastal town of Sale, near Rabat.
The raid was led by the Central Bureau of Judicial Investigation (BCIJ) anti-terrorism squad. Police discovered electronic devices, bladed weapons, and “extremist” documents, belonging to the group.
The US embassy in Rabat issued a security alert in April 2019, upgrading its risk assessment to “Level 2” for possible terrorist attacks in Morocco.
“Terrorist groups continue plotting attacks in Morocco,” the embassy stated. “Terrorists may attack with little or no warning, targeting tourist locations, transportation hubs, markets, shopping malls, and local government facilities.”
Morocco’s counterterrorism strategy, which was updated in 2015 with the creation of the BCIJ, an elite anti-terrorism police bureau, has contributed to alleviating the threat of terrorism across the nation.
Morocco’s counter-terrorism policy is currently resting on three key pillars: Stepping up internal security, eradicating poverty, and making religious reforms.
The UN Counter-Terrorism Committee’s new scheme to support Morocco’s endeavors could potentially curb terrorist threats not only inside the borders of the North African country but also on a global scale.
