BCIJ Head: Latest Operation Part of Morocco's Efforts to Address Terrorist Threats

Rabat – Cherkaoui Habboub, the head of the Central Bureau of Judicial Investigations (BCIJ) recently commented on the latest counterterrorism operation that led to the arrest of four ISIS-affiliated suspects, saying that the raid is part of Morocco’s larger efforts to compact terrorism, crime, and terrorist threats.

Habboub said the operation took place in coordination with security units based on precise information from the General Directorate of Territorial Surveillance (DGST).

On Sunday morning, the BCIJ and DSGT, in cooperation with Royal Gendarmerie and local police, arrested four suspects affiliated with ISIS. The suspects were plotting “eminent” terrorist attacks, which prompted security units to intervene and foil the attempts.

Habboub detailed that in addition to DGST special forces, the operation was conducted with the support of snipers and a Royal Gendarmerie helicopter tasked with aerial sweeping. The security personnel included experts in explosives alongside trained police dogs.

BCIJ seized a large quantity of liquids, powders, and suspicious products used to make explosives, as well as knives of different sizes. The evidence is now under investigation.

All of the suspects, including three brothers, are in custody now. Authorities are interrogating them to find any potential links and further ramifications of the cell on both national and international levels.

Morocco has been committed to helping mitigate the terrorism crisis nationally and internationally. The country prioritizes cooperation between all security units, including Morocco’s Directorate for National Security (DGSN- DGST), and other units that carry out border inspection at ports of entry like airports.

The North African country, however, is well aware that more efforts are needed to address the security challenges.

In 2021, Habboub warned that the terrorist threat persists “as long as there are groups that recruit and train their followers online including the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara.”

The BCIJ head also recalled Morocco’s intelligence efforts in providing information to international partners to mitigate terrorism threats across the world.

The Sahel region is often described as a “safe haven” for terrorist cells. Several reports have warned against the security conditions in the region, including the United Nations, which described it as “extremely volatile.”