Morocco: IS terror cell dismantled in Tangier and Oued Zem March 29

Event

Moroccan authorities announced on Thursday, March 29, that the counterterror unit of the Central Bureau of Judicial Investigations (BCIJ) neutralized an Islamic State (IS) cell in Tangier and Oued Zem. All eight members of the cell were arrested; they reportedly planned to build bombs and explosive belts and launch attacks in several Moroccan cities.

Context

Over 150 terrorist cells have been dismantled in Morocco since 2002; in 2017, the BCIJ dismantled nine terror cells and neutralized some 186 suspected militants. It is estimated that over 1600 Moroccans have traveled to fight with IS in Syria and Iraq, including 400 who died in combat.

While no major attacks have occurred in recent years, Moroccan authorities remain on high alert for militant activity. Several attacks have been carried out on Moroccan soil in the past decade, notably a 2011 bombing at a café in Marrakesh that killed 17 people.

Advice

Due to the significant terrorist threat, individuals in Morocco are advised to report any suspicious objects or behavior to the authorities and to exercise caution at all times, particularly when visiting sites deemed particularly likely to be targeted in an attack (public transportation, train stations, ports, airports, public or government buildings, embassies or consulates, international organizations, schools and universities, religious sites, markets, hotels and restaurants frequented by foreigners/Westerners, festivals, etc.), especially in major cities such as Marrakesh, Rabat, and Casablanca.