Several magazines emphasized Abdellatif Hammouchi’s important role in Morocco’s security system, describing him as the nightmare of “terrorists.”
Rabat – The Spanish Ministry of Interior has decorated the head of Morocco’s General Directorate of National Security (DGSN) and General Directorate of Territorial Surveillance (DGST), Abdellatif Hammouchi.
On Monday, September 23 the Spanish official gazette announced that Royal Decree 549/2019 of September 20 granted the Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Civil Guard to Hammouchi.
Hammmouchi is one of the leading figures in Morocco’s security system. The head of DGSN and DGST positioned himself as one of the masterminds of Morocco’s successful anti-terrorism mechanism.
He has been largely credited with the effectiveness of Morocco’s security apparatus, and the Order of Merit recognition from Spain is the latest in a long series of international validations the Moroccan officer has received in recent years.
A solid reputation
Earlier this year, pan-African magazine Jeune Afrique joined several international publications in extolling the role of Hammouchi’s strong reputation for Morocco’s security stability.
The magazine listed Hammouchi among “Africa’s most influential personalities in 2019.”
Hammouchi and the names on the list, according to Jeune Afrique are “people who are impacting public opinion, and are capable of inspiring and inciting us to imitate them.”
Jeune Afrique added that his African and European colleagues lauded his wok on counter-terrorism and other aspects of Morocco’s domestic security.
The African newspaper also referred to Hammouchi as the nightmare of terrorists.
Jeune Afrique is one of several other international outlets that have praised Hammouchi’s leadership in the security system.
Last year in July, Italian newspaper II Post described Hammouchi as the “super agent who never sleeps.”
The Italian paper described Hammouchi as “powerful, respected, and controversial.” He is almost like “a movie character,” it added.
In 2018, Spanish news outlet El Pais also paid tribute to Hammouchi’s “contributions to maintaining national security” in Morocco.
The Spanish official gazette also shared royal decree 550/2019 stipulating that the Commander in Chief of Morocco’s Royal Gendarmerie, Mohammed Haramou, also received the Order of Merit of the Civil Guard.
King Mohammed VI appointed Haramou as the head of Morocco’s Royal Gendarmerie in December 2017.
