Morocco's security services have foiled what authorities described as an advanced and highly dangerous terrorist plot linked to the Sahel branch of the so-called Islamic State group (ISIS), arresting 10 suspects in coordinated raids across several cities.
In a statement on Monday, the Central Bureau of Judicial Investigations (BCIJ) said the operation was carried out based on intelligence provided by the General Directorate for Territorial Surveillance (DGST). Simultaneous raids took place in Agadir, Taroudant, Casablanca, El Hajeb, Tetouan, Fquih Ben صالح and Safi.
The suspects include a former terrorism convict and a minor. Investigators said the group had pledged allegiance to ISIS and had recently received direct instructions from leaders of the group's Sahel branch to remain in Morocco and carry out attacks inside the country.
Searches uncovered knives, military-style clothing, extremist documents explaining how to assemble explosive devices, and digital materials containing ISIS allegiance pledges and explicit threats to commit attacks in Morocco.
Authorities also discovered a modified four-wheel-drive vehicle in a warehouse in the city of Inzegane. According to investigators, the vehicle had been altered to run on butane gas and was allegedly intended for use in a suicide bombing or vehicle-ramming attack targeting sensitive sites and facilities.
Security forces additionally seized gas cylinders, pressure cookers filled with nails, electrical wiring, welding equipment and chemical substances suspected of being intended for the manufacture of explosive devices.
The BCIJ said the suspects are being held under a judicial investigation supervised by Morocco's anti-terrorism prosecutor's office to determine the full extent of the cell's links with ISIS in the Sahel and identify any national or international connections.
