Morocco’s BCIJ Dismantles New Terror Cell Near Marrakech

The Central Bureau for Judicial Investigations (BCIJ) dismantled on Tuesday a pro-ISIS terror cell made up of four people aged between 25 and 40.

 

The extremist suspects were operating in the region of El Haouz, near Marrakech.

 

This security operation led to the discovery of a farm in the town of Ourika belonging to the family of one of the cell’s members, where chemical residues, suspicious liquids and equipment used to manufacture explosive devices were seized.

 

The search operation also enabled the seizure of electronic devices, knives, an unspecified amount of money and a motorcycle, the BCIJ said in a statement.

 

Preliminary investigations show that the leader of the terror cell had recruited and mentored the other members of the cell and had forged suspicious relations with terror operatives abroad in order to plan terror attacks in the kingdom using explosive devices, the BCIJ statement added.

 

The Tuesday security operation is the third to be carried out this June. The first took place on June 3, when BCIJ dismantled a three-member terrorist cell operating in several cities in the region of Draa-Tafilalet. The second operation dates back to June 18, when BCIJ cracked down on a five-member cell in Tetouan, Northern Morocco.

 

These operations are part of Morocco’s preventive measures and strategy to counter terrorism.