La Policía marroquí detiene a un supuesto yihadista que pretendía atentar contra población extranjera
Moroccan police have arrested a suspected Daesh jihadist who planned to carry out attacks against institutional organisms and foreign population in Morocco.
According to the Central Bureau of Judicial Investigations (BCIJ), the anti-terrorist body in charge of carrying out this type of operation, the 27-year-old man was allegedly planning to attack political and security officials, as well as government establishments, banks and other buildings.
They said in a statement that the operation followed "ongoing security operations undertaken by the DGST services with the aim of combating and neutralising the dangers of terrorist organisations targeting the security of the Kingdom and the safety of citizens".
In the framework of the operation, the anti-terrorist police arrested this extremist in the municipality of Allogoum, in the district of Foum Zquid, in the province of Tata. According to the investigation, the arrestee also managed to download and collect digital content belonging to extremist portals. In addition to this, he reportedly reportedly made homemade explosives with the aim of using them "in an anti-terrorist operation using a car bomb".
Investigations indicate that the detainee tried to carry out his plans "in coordination with an extremist active abroad who has links to terrorist attacks perpetrated in Europe". According to EFE, the extremist with whom the detainee was in contact was in charge of indoctrinating and recruiting new followers for the future execution of a terrorist attack. In this way, the detainee was responsible for recruiting new terrorists both in Morocco and in other countries.
In addition, after searching the detainee's home, the Moroccan authorities found various substances used for the manufacture of different explosives, such as sulphur, coal dust and fertilisers. They also found an electronic scale, computer content on the manufacture of explosives, graphic files extolling extremist ideology and a manuscript on possible terrorist operations that would have been carried out had it not been for his arrest.
The BCIJ is seven years old. The Alawi kingdom decided to found this agency with the aim of combating terrorism and organised crime. Since its inception, thousands of people linked to terrorism have been arrested, and 1,357 people have been brought to justice for their links to terrorism.
The good results and effectiveness demonstrated by the Moroccan authorities in this regard have led to praise from countries such as the United States, which has repeatedly pointed out that the Maghreb country "is an important non-NATO ally and an active member of the partnership to combat terrorism".
