Morocco, Spain Dismantle IS Recruitment Terrorist Cell

A five-member terrorist cell loyal to IS was dismantled Tuesday in a joint operation by Morocco’s FBI, the Central Bureau for Judicial Investigations (BCIJ) and Spanish security services.

Following the successful joint counterterrorism operation, Spanish Interior Minister Juan Ignacio Zoido highlighted the efficiency of Moroccan-Spanish security cooperation.

This operation shows the great efficiency of cooperation relations between Morocco and Spain, whose security services are working closely and tirelessly to arrest terrorists wherever they are, the Spanish Interior Minister told the press.

“I would like to congratulate the Moroccan security services for the anti-terrorism operation, which was crowned today (Tuesday) by the arrest of 5 alleged terrorists who belong to a cell planning to perpetrate attacks in Spain and Europe,” said the Spanish official, hailing as excellent Moroccan-Spanish relations, mainly in the counterterrorism field.

Three members of the cell were arrested in the Moroccan northern town of Fnideq while the two others were arrested in Bilbao.

Investigations show that they recruited fighters for the terrorist IS group in Syria and Iraq.

Knives, military uniforms and electric equipment were seized in the joint operation.

Last September, the two countries’ security services busted a terrorist cell comprising five Moroccans and a Spaniard loyal to IS.