Two people with links to IS arrested in Morocco

Security forces arrest two young men in Inzegane, Aït Melloul suspected of preparing terrorist attacks in Morocco.

Rabat – Moroccan security forces arrested Friday two young individuals linked with the Islamic State group in Inzegane and Ait Melloul for being suspected of preparing terrorist attacks in Morocco.

The suspects, aged 18 and 25 had links with other terrorist suspects who were arrested last July in Fez and Safi. They coordinated with them to try to obtain firearms that they intended to use to commit terrorist operations against sensitive targets in the Kingdom, said the Central Bureau of Judicial Investigations (BCIJ) in a statement.

The suspects were in intense contact with IS supporters outside Morocco in order to benefit from their expertise in the field of the manufacture of explosive devices and poisons, in preparation for the execution of their terrorist projects in the North African country, said BCIJ.

Morocco has dismantled 183 terror cells since 2002 while 51 out of the 57 cells dismantled since 2015 were allegedly connected with IS, according to BCIJ.