A series of successful counter-terrorism operations have established Morocco as a key player in the ongoing war on ISIS both regionally and internationally. Desperate attempts by the terror group to remain relevant despite its defeat are met by a staunch determination and an unwavering resolve to prevent ISIS sleeper cells from perpetrating bloody attacks and wreaking havoc.
In what was described as Morocco’s most far-reaching counter-terrorism operation, the Central Bureau of Judicial Investigation (BCIJ) carried out simultaneous raids in three different locations: two in the Casablanca area and one in the Ouazzane province in the early morning hours of Friday, October 25. The three operations led to the arrest of six ISIS-linked suspects and the seizure of weapons, munitions, a dinghy, diving equipment, balaclavas, bags containing chemical products, ISIS flags, and a pledge of allegiance to ISIS. On the evening of the same day, Moroccan special agents arrested a seventh ISIS-linked suspect in Tamaris II, a beach town near Casablanca.
Investigations into the case revealed that two of the suspects had rented an apartment in Chefchaouen on October 24 and had planned to strike on the following day, only to be stopped by BCIJ officers early in the morning. According to security reports, the suspects had “an impressive arsenal” of knives, shotguns, and explosive materials when authorities arrested them. For its part, the Ministry of Interior reassured citizens about the country’s preparedness to preempt terrorist plots while acknowledging that this cell was unlike any other ISIS-linked cell Moroccan agents have dismantled in the past months and years. The activities of the cell were on a “very advanced” scale, the ministry said, adding that in addition to carrying out terrorist plots in extremely sensitive areas across the country, the cell’s ultimate plan was to find itself a safe haven in the mountainous areas in Northern Morocco.
