Times of India Highlights Success of Morocco’s Three-pronged Counterterrorism Strategy
Morocco remains largely the most insulated country from terrorist attacks in the region thanks to a three-pronged strategy that combines security measures with promoting moderate religious discourse and fighting poverty, underscored the Times of India.
In an opinion article entitled “Get Facts Right: Morocco is a shining example of how to counter radicalisation and terrorism,” Rudroneel Ghosh discarded the aspersions spread in some Western media in the aftermath of the Barcelona terrorist attacks trying desperately to link Morocco with terrorism.
“To insinuate that Morocco itself is a hotbed of terrorism is plain rubbish,” he said, noting that such extrapolation is discredited on the ground by Morocco’s “praiseworthy record” in fighting Islamic radicalisation at home through a multilayered strategy.
Ghosh highlighted the efficiency of Morocco’s security services, which adopt a proactive approach further bolstered by intelligence sharing with other countries.
“Morocco is a pioneer in promoting the moderate tenets of genuine Islam to counter the influence of radical religious thought,” he made it clear, pointing out to Morocco’s Imam training program.
Morocco has also attached utmost importance to stemming the breeding grounds causing radicalisation and extremism through fighting poverty, he wrote.
Ghosh added that Morocco is “at the forefront of fighting terrorism in North Africa”, explaining that “attacks in Europe by Moroccan-origin people represent a failing of these European states.”
Therefore, he explained, “to allege that Morocco is producing terrorists is utter nonsense. In fact, if anything, Moroccan society and the Islam practised in Morocco are significant deterrents against extremism and terrorism. A visit to Morocco is enough for anyone to realise how liberal a Muslim nation Morocco is.”
He went on to say that Morocco “is a country where Jews enjoy equal status as their Muslim brethren and where 167 Jewish cemeteries have been carefully restored under the direction of King Mohammed VI. Morocco is a country where within the same family the mother can wear a hijab but her daughter can sport western-style shorts.”
