Moroccan security forces and Spain's General Intelligence Directorate successfully dismantled an ISIS-affiliated terror cell in the Sahel region south of the Sahara.
The operation, carried out on Friday, led to the arrest of nine individuals, including three based in the Moroccan cities of Tetouan and Fnideq and six others operating in Madrid, Ibiza, and Ceuta in Spain.
According to a statement from Moroccan security authorities, searches conducted at the suspects’ residences resulted in the seizure of bladed weapons and electronic equipment, which will undergo expert examination.
Initial investigations revealed that the suspects, some of whom are former terrorism convicts in Spain, were actively promoting ISIS ideology. They organized meetings in Ceuta and Tetouan to plan and coordinate terrorist activities in the name of ISIS, with the intention of eventually joining the group's Sahel branch.
The suspects arrested in Tetouan and Fnideq are currently in custody under the supervision of the public prosecutor specializing in terrorism and extremism cases. Authorities are working to uncover their domestic and international connections and determine their involvement in the terror cell’s planned operations.
The statement emphasized that this joint operation highlights the ongoing and exceptional security cooperation between Moroccan and Spanish security agencies to combat terrorism and safeguard the safety of both nations.
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