The Central Bureau of Judicial Investigations (BCIJ), acting on precise intelligence provided by the General Directorate for Territorial Surveillance (DGST), said the suspects were in the final stages of preparing “extremely dangerous plans” intended to seriously undermine public order and threaten the safety of people and property.
Special intervention units carried out simultaneous raids in Agadir, Taroudant, Casablanca, El Hajeb, Tetouan, Fquih Ben Salah, and Safi after an extensive intelligence-gathering and surveillance operation conducted by BCIJ investigators.
Authorities said the operation led to the arrest of 10 extremist suspects, including a former terrorism convict and a minor. According to a BCIJ statement, the cell maintained logistical coordination and operational support with the Daesh affiliate operating in the Sahel region and had established a network spanning multiple Moroccan cities.
Vehicle intended for suicide bombing or vehicle-ramming attack
Searches of the suspects’ homes, conducted after completing all required legal procedures and with support from police canine units, resulted in the seizure of bladed weapons and equipment allegedly intended for use in the planned attacks.
Investigators also confiscated military-style clothing; extremist documents containing detailed instructions for assembling improvised explosive devices; digital storage media; and visual material, including two recordings containing a pledge of allegiance to Daesh and explicit threats to carry out attacks inside Morocco.
As the investigation expanded, authorities searched a warehouse in the city of Inzegane, where they discovered a four-wheel-drive vehicle whose fuel tank had been modified in a clandestine workshop to operate on butane gas. According to the investigation, the vehicle was intended for use in a suicide bombing or vehicle-ramming attack targeting sensitive sites and facilities.
Security officials immediately evacuated residents living near the warehouse before deploying a National Police explosives unit. Specialists examined the vehicle using remotely operated robots and advanced detection equipment to assess any potential explosive threat before crime scene investigators and judicial police officers began a full forensic examination of the vehicle and the premises.
Butane gas cylinders, pressure cookers and chemical substances
The warehouse also contained several butane gas cylinders and pressure cookers, some filled with nails and others connected to electrical wiring. Authorities additionally seized welding equipment, electrical switches, small lamps, and quantities of solid and liquid chemical substances, which will undergo forensic analysis to determine their composition and intended use.
According to the BCIJ, intelligence supported by field investigations and technical examinations indicates that members of the cell pledged allegiance to the self-proclaimed Daesh leader and recently received direct instructions from senior figures within the group’s Sahel branch. The suspects were ordered to remain in Morocco to carry out terrorist operations while postponing plans to join Daesh strongholds outside the country.
Investigators also said the leader of the cell assigned specific operational roles under instructions from Daesh. Those roles included selecting targets, conducting surveillance and reconnaissance, and procuring the materials and equipment required to carry out the planned attacks.
The BCIJ said the investigation is continuing under the supervision of the public prosecutor’s office responsible for terrorism cases. Adult suspects have been placed in police custody, while the minor has been placed under judicial supervision as investigators seek to establish the full extent of the cell’s links to the Daesh affiliate in the Sahel region and identify any additional domestic or international connections.
