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Rabat – Morocco’s judicial police arrested an ISIS-affiliated suspect in Tangier on Thursday.
The 28-year-old suspect, who pledged allegiance to ISIS, was planning terrorist plots targeting a “sensitive institution” in Tangier, a statement from the General Directorate of Territorial Surveillance (DGST) said.
The suspect, who is originally from the city of Mohammedia near Casablanca, is now in custody for further investigation.
The Central Bureau of Judicial Investigations (BCIJ) opened an investigation into the suspect to determine all of his terrorist plots and targets. The investigation also seeks to determine potential connections between the suspect and other ISIS members.
The arrest is part of Morocco’s counterterrorism efforts, DGST said, warning of continuous security threats posed by extremist organizations like ISIS.
The arrest comes a few days after BCIJ dismantled a three-member ISIS cell in Tangier.
According to Moroccan police, the suspects were trying to connect with other ISIS cells in the Sahel to travel to the region, which is seen as a fertile ground for extremist groups.
They were also preparing to carry out dangerous terrorist projects to undermine Morocco’s security, the BCIJ said in an earlier statement.
According to a recent report from the US State Department, Morocco’s security services arrested at least 55 individuals for their alleged involvement in terrorist cells in 2021.
