Morocco prevents attacks by cell loyal to Islamic State in Sahel

RABAT, July 6 - Morocco's counterterrorism agency said on Monday it had foiled attack plots targeting sensitive sites and public security by a cell loyal to Islamic State's affiliate in the Sahel.

Ten suspects were arrested in coordinated operations in the cities of Agadir, Taroudant, Casablanca, Hajeb, Tetouan, Fqih Ben Salah and Safi, the agency, known as the Central Bureau for Judicial Investigations (BCIJ), said in a statement.

Preliminary investigations showed that the suspects had pledged allegiance to Islamic State and received direct instructions from the group's Sahel branch to carry out attacks in Morocco, it said.

The operation underscores the threat posed by jihadist groups operating in the Sahel, where Islamic State and al Qaeda affiliates have expanded their presence in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger.

During searches, authorities found bladed weapons, military-style clothing, documents containing instructions on making explosive devices, digital materials, and chemical substances, BCIJ said.

Investigators also found a car that had been modified and was suspected of being intended for use in a suicide bombing or vehicle-ramming attack, the statement said.

Security forces also recovered butane gas cylinders, pressure cookers, some filled with nails and others connected to electrical wiring, at a warehouse used by the group, according to the statement.

In recent years, IS branches in Africa have recruited more than 130 Moroccan fighters, BCIJ figures show.

Since its establishment in 2015, the BCIJ has dismantled dozens of militant cells and arrested more than 1,000 suspected jihadists.

The last jihadist attack in the country was in 2023, when three individuals loyal to IS killed a Moroccan policeman in Casablanca. REUTERS