Morocco Arrests Individuals Suspected of Links With ISIS

Wednesday 10 February 2016 - 11:48

By Zainab Calcuttawala
Rabat Moroccan authorities arrested on Tuesday four people who were
preparing to carry our terrorist attacks in Morocco.
Four suspects, who were previously detained on terrorism charges, were rearrested
by law enforcement authorities on Wednesday for forming a terrorist cell and
planning to carry out quality terrorist attacks in the Kingdom on behalf of the socalled Islamic State (ISIS). The anti-terrorism squad of the Central Office of Judicial
Investigation took four suspects into custody. One of the suspects, had reportedly
fought under ISIS in Syria and Iraq and was planning to use his new intelligence in
terrorism to strike sites in Morocco.
The suspects are from Meknes, Tetouan, and Martil, authorities said.
A police investigation will bring the suspects to justice, according to a statement by
the Ministry of the Interior. The arrests follows a string of ISIS-related busts by law
enforcement officials all over the country. Last week, Moroccan security services
raided a seven-member terrorist cell operating out of Marrakesh, Laayoune, and
Boujdour. The members of the cell were planning to join ISIS forces in Libya with the
support of Polisario separatists who specialize in trafficking and organized crime,
according to a statement by Ministry of the Interior. December saw the arrest of a
nine-member cell in the advanced stages of planning terror attacks in Morocco. The
members were active in five cities and villages, namely, Kenitra, Sale, Kasbah Tadla,
Douar Ghram Laalam, Ait Ishaq.
Moroccan intelligence has also played a key role in tracking the terrorists who
carried out the Paris attacks in November.

Belgian Abdelhamid Abaaoud, suspected architect of the Paris attacks, was killed in
a firefight with French law enforcement officials after Moroccan intelligence tipped
them off on his location. Abaaoud was suspected to be in Syria before the tip-off.

Morocco Arrests Individuals Suspected of Links With ISIS Opinion

By: Isiah Franqui
Morocco has close ties with the French and their culture. The attack in Paris a couple of
months ago affected Morocco greatly and made them cautious. I feel that Moroccan authorities
have all the right to arrest suspects with vital information claiming them to have any relations to
ISIS. Marrakesh is a very complex city of Morocco and can very well be a spot for any terrorist
actions to take place. The police are more and more catching cells of these terrorist or soon to be
terrorist. I find this very vital in the success with the war on terrorism. The fact that Morocco will
take no chances with ISIS is a great quality and I feel that America should gain this quality. If I
was Morocco I would contain the search for any ISIS members or any in relation to the Paris
attack in 2015.