Morocco breaks up terrorist cell

RABAT – Morocco’s security forces dismantled on Tuesday a terrorist cell affiliated with the Islamic State group in the southern city of Errachidia.

Three suspected extremists were arrested during the anti-terror operation, which was led by The FBI-like Central Bureau of Judicial Investigations (BCIJ).

“This terrorist cell was dismantled in the wake of the efforts of the security services to neutralize terrorist dangers and threats and prevent extremist organizations from reaching the material execution phase of their security-related schemes and projects that would harm the security of the nation and citizens,” said the BCIJ in a statement.

The searches carried out in the houses of the suspects and in the commercial premises of one of them led to the seizure of computer equipment, memory cards, cell phones, paramilitary uniforms, manuscripts praising terrorist operations and posters evoking "khorassan" as a new base for fighting, it added.

The alleged emir of the cell was active in the recruitment into the ranks of followers of traditional religious currents and converted his commercial premises located near strategic installations into a place of prayer by outlawing the ban on prayer in mosques, as well as into a refuge for the consecration of extremist ideology in the ranks of its followers and space for planning terrorist crimes against individuals.

Since its inception, the BCIJ has foiled dozens of terrorist attacks targeting Morocco.

Morocco was a victim of terror attacks in Casablanca in 2003 and Marrakech in 2011, which killed a total of 50 people and injured dozens.