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Marrakech – A soldier in the Royal Moroccan Armed forces was arrested today, September 3, by the National Bureau of the Judicial Police (BNJP).
According to the newspaper al-Ahdath al-Maghribiya, he was charged with attempting to recruit former Moroccan soldiers for Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi’s Islamic State (Daach, in Arabic), The accused allegedly contacted former Moroccan soldiers on social media in an attempt to enlist them.
The arrest by the BNJP was followed by a report from the Directorate of Territorial Security (DGST) in collaboration with a special unit of the Royal Gendarmerie. The arrest took place in the Sahara province following clandestine meetings between the soldier and experienced jihadists, according to the same source.
The soldier attempting to recruit former Moroccan soldiers was said to be deeply influenced by takfirist adherents in Fez. He had used electronic communication to come into contact with extremists who are responsible for recruiting for ISIS. The fighters undertake jihad under the banner of the Islamic State, based in Syria and Iraq. Morocco has become a “nursery” for candidates for the jihadi terrorist al-Baghdadi, the same source added.
Morocco ranks third in the Arab world in recruiting fighters for the benefit of Daach, according to a report issued by the PEW American research center. “More than 1,500 Moroccans have joined the ranks of the Islamic State, coming third in the Arab world after Tunisia (3000) and Saudi Arabia (2500),” said the Washington-based think tank based in its latest report.
Outside the Arab world, the American Center puts Russia ahead of other foreign countries, which has contributed the largest number of fighters (800) recruited by the Islamic state, followed by France (700). About 12,000 foreigners are fighting today with the Islamic State, according to a previous report prepared by Richard Barrett, former head of British intelligence.
According to Assabah, “Morocco’s ranking as the third Arab country for exporting jihadists to benefit Daach is certainly disgraceful,” stressing that Morocco could be “first” but for the increased vigilance of the security services. Several dozen terrorist cells have indeed been dismantled, and an impressive number of recruiters for jihad in Syria and Iraq have been arrested.
