Rabat – Morocco’s Central Bureau of Judicial Investigations (BCIJ) arrested today an ISIS-affiliated suspect in the city of Berkane, in northeastern Morocco.
A statement from the BCIJ said that the 37-year-old man is suspected of being involved in preparing a violent extremist attack to undermine Morocco’s stability and security.
The arrest of the suspect came as a result of security cooperation with Moroccan security units, including BCIJ, judicial police, as well as US authorities.
The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in collaboration with Morocco’s BCIJ and the General Directorate of Territorial Surveillance (DGST) carried out joint technical research and investigation, identifying the suspect and his extremist project.
Preliminary investigation shows that the suspect was “managing and running a closed group on one of the communication platforms, adopting extremist goals and projects.”
The group aimed to attract and recruit other people to carry out extremist attacks against Moroccan and foreign targets.
The investigation also showed that the suspêct was in contact with the leader of a terror cell that was dismantled on March 25, 2021, in the city of Oujda in Morocco’s Oriental region.
The contact was made in order to secure financial resources for logistical support.
Security services put the suspect in custody for further investigation to determine the extent of his extremist activities, as well as his possible links with terror organizations inside and outside Morocco.
BCIJ concluded its statement by emphasizing that today’s security operation proves the risk of the extremist threat that Morocco continues to face.
“This operation also embodies the importance of joint and advanced bilateral cooperation with the United States of America in the fight against terrorism and violent extremism.
This is not the first time the US and Morocco’s security services cooperate together in counter-terrorism cases.
In December 2021, BCIJ, DGST, and the General Directorate of the National Security (DGSN) collaborated closely with US intelligence to arrest an ISIS-linked suspect.
The arrested suspect was plotting extremist attacks against Morocco.
The US views Morocco an important ally in countering terrorism. In December last year, the US State Department’s Country Report on Terrorism said Morocco’s strategy against terrorism as “comprehensive.”
The report also commended Morocco’s “vigilant security measures, regional and international cooperation, and terrorist counter-radicalization policies.”
