Morocco’s Central Bureau of Judicial Investigations (BCIJ) arrested a 31-year old man in M’diq, Northern Morocco, on Saturday on suspicion of preparing a terrorist plot inspired by the ideology of the Islamic State group, known as ISIS or Daesh, authorities said.
The arrest was carried out on the basis of intelligence provided by the General Directorate for Territorial Surveillance (DGST), the BCIJ, Morocco’s specialized counterterrorism agency, said in a statement.
Investigators said preliminary inquiries and surveillance operations indicated that the suspect had embraced the concept of so called “individual jihad” and had begun preparing for violent acts intended to undermine public safety and public order.
According to the BCIJ, the suspect sought to acquire expertise in manufacturing explosive devices and was allegedly planning attacks targeting people as well as sensitive facilities and infrastructure.
The suspect has been placed in police custody pending further investigation under the supervision of the prosecutor’s office responsible for terrorism cases.
Authorities said the investigation will seek to establish the full scope of the suspect’s activities, identify any potential accomplices and determine whether he maintained links with terrorist organizations or networks operating inside or outside Morocco.
The arrest comes as Moroccan authorities continue to intensify counterterrorism operations amid persistent concerns over online radicalization and the influence of extremist organizations operating in the Sahel region. Moroccan security services have dismantled numerous ISIS linked cells in recent years, including in several operations carried out in 2025 and 2026.
