Maghreb Edition

Insurgencies: Three alleged members of Islamic State group arrested in Morocco and SpainF

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Posted On 11 January 2023

Number of times this article was read : 677

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Moroccan and Spanish authorities have broken up a jihadist cell linked to the Islamic State group and arrested its three members in a joint operation, Morocco’s security services said Wednesday. One of the “extremist elements” was arrested by special forces from Morocco’s DGST domestic intelligence agency in the rural southern region of Chtouka Ait Baha, the country’s Central Bureau of Judicial Investigation (BCIJ) said in a statement.

Two other members of the cell were arrested by Spanish authorities in Almeria, in the European country’s southeast, said the BCIJ, which oversees counter-terrorism operations.

Approached by AFP, a police source in Spain confirmed the Moroccan statement but did not give further details. The BCIJ said the suspects had pledged allegiance to IS and were promoting “extremist ideas for recruitment purposes”. The suspects had been hoping to carry out “terrorist operations” elsewhere after they were “unable to reach (IS) strongholds in the Sahel region”, it said, referring to a vast area south of the Sahara. However, they had been in contact with fighters in the Sahel charged with helping new recruits join IS, the BCIJ added.

Morocco has been largely spared jihadist violence in recent years, but authorities regularly announce arrests of suspected IS affiliates. Since 2002, the North African kingdom has broken up more than 2,000 “terrorist cells” and detained some 3,500 suspected jihadists, according to BCIJ figures.

AFP

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Written by The North Africa Journal

The North Africa Journal is a leading English-language publication focused on North Africa. The Journal covers primarily the Maghreb region and expands its general coverage to the Sahel, Egypt, and beyond, when events in those regions affect the broader North Africa geography. The Journal does not have any affiliation with any institution and has been independent since its founding in 1996. Our position is to always bring our best analysis of events affecting the region, and remain as neutral as humanly possible. Our coverage is not limited to one single topic, but ranges from economic and political affairs, to security, defense, social and environmental issues. We rely on our full staff analysts and editors to bring you best-in-class analysis. We also work with sister company MEA Risk LLC, to leverage the presence on the ground of a solid network of contributors and experts. Information on MEA Risk can be found at www.MEA-Risk.com.