Rabat – Morocco’s Central Bureau of Judicial Investigations (BCIJ) arrested 13 ISIS-affiliated suspects on Thursday in several Moroccan provinces.
The arrests, which were in collaboration with national police, took place in the cities of Casablanca, Beni Mellal, Mohammedia, Khenifra, Temara, Tiflet, Ksar el Kebir, Rissani and Berkane.
A statement from the BCIJ said that the suspects aged between 19 and 49 were involved in “preparing” terror attacks targeting sensitive departments across the country.
The suspects carried out “extensive research” to learn how to manufacture explosives, preliminary data from the ongoing investigations show.
The suspects were also able to connect with terrorist groups outside Morocco, with the aim of joining ISIS, especially in the Sahel and Sahara regions.
Security officials from Morocco, particularly the BCIJ, have long warned about the concerning security situation in Sahel, which is often described as a fertile ground and safe haven for terrorist organizations.
During the arrests, security services seized several pieces of equipment to be investigated by technical experts. The seized material includes speeches supporting extremist ideologies and publications inciting violent attacks and suicide operations.
The arrested suspects are in custody pending judicial investigations to determine all the circumstances of the case and uncover any more planned terrorist attacks.
The investigation also seeks to detect any possible accomplices as well as potential regional and international connections with terror organizations outside Morocco.
The arrest is part of Morocco’s efforts to address security threats including extremism and terrorism.
Morocco’s counterterrorism approach has been under the spotlight of several reports, stressing the country’s vigilance against security threats.
One of the latest reports was the annual Country Terrorism Report from the US Department of State, which described Morocco’s counterterrorism mechanism as comprehensive.
“The Government of Morocco continued its comprehensive strategy that includes vigilant security measures, regional and international cooperation, and counter radicalization policies,” said the report published in February.
US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Middle East Dana Stroul recalled the strength of Morocco’s counterterrorism approach on Monday, stressing that Morocco is a “critical partner, one that shares U.S. interests and objectives in countering violent extremism.”
