Moroccan counterterrorism authorities announced on Thursday that they had disrupted a planned attack on security sites and apprehended four individuals suspected of having connections to the Sahelian branch of the Islamic State (IS) extremist group. The operation, described as a significant success, was revealed during a press conference in Sale by Habboub Cherkaoui, director of the Central Bureau of Judicial Investigations.
Cherkaoui stated that the suspects, all Moroccan nationals—including three brothers—were arrested on Sunday in Had Soualem, near Casablanca. He described the thwarted plan as a “dangerous terrorist plot” targeting “key security facilities, a supermarket, and public areas” frequented by both Moroccans and foreigners. Investigators found that the group had pre-recorded a statement claiming responsibility for the planned attack.
Preliminary investigations suggest that the suspects were in direct contact with a leader of the Islamic State’s Sahel branch, who used digital communication tools to recruit and radicalize them. The suspects, aged between 26 and 35, held “modest jobs” and were allegedly influenced by extremist ideologies.
Cherkaoui emphasized the “real threat to the kingdom” posed by extremist groups operating in Africa. He revealed that since late 2022, 130 Moroccan citizens have traveled to conflict zones in Somalia and the Sahel, with many seeking to expand their groups’ activities into Morocco.
Despite the country’s relative success in avoiding large-scale Islamist violence in recent years, Moroccan security forces have frequently reported arrests and the disruption of attack plans. This latest operation underscores the ongoing challenges posed by transnational extremist networks and Morocco’s efforts to counter terrorism within its borders.
