Rabat – Morocco’s Central Bureau of Judicial Investigation (BCIJ) dismantled on Tuesday, June 18 a five-member terror cell operating in Tetouan, Northern Morocco.
A statement from the BCIJ said that the five suspects, aged between 23 and 33, are under investigation for links to ISIS.
During the arrest, BCIJ seized several electronic devices, knives, and military uniforms.
Preliminary investigations show that the suspect pledged allegiance to the self-styled “emir” of ISIS, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.
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The suspects, according to BCIJ, are also accused of promoting terrorism and extremist propaganda. The cell is suspected of having links with terrorists in conflict zones, such as Syria and Iraq.
The group are suspected of plotting terror attacks across the country. The statement added that the five cell members will be brought to justice immediately after investigation.
Today’s operation is part of Morocco’s national and international counter-terrorism initiatives. BCIJ has carried several similar operation throughout the year. The latest operation was on June 3, when BCIJ dismantled a three-member terrorist cell operating in several cities in the region of Draa-Tafilalet.
Following the 2003 terror attacks in Casablanca and the 2011 attack in Marrakech, the Moroccan security services announced several counter-terrorism initiatives.
The programs were praised by several international allies, including the US.
In March, Morocco’s Ministry of the Interior announced the repatriation of eight Moroccan terrorists who were operating in Syria.
The move pleased the US, which said that Morocco “is a highly capable partner in the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS.”
