Xinhuanet
Source: Xinhua
The busted Islamic State (IS) terror cell in Morocco on Thursday planned series of attacks against key Moroccan sites, including a suicide attack in the country’s parliament building, the official Maghreb Arab Press (MAP) agency reported on Saturday.
Morocco’s Interior Ministry said Thursday that security services foiled “dangerous” IS terrorist attacks and arrested ten suspects, including a French national.
Citing a source close to the investigations, the report revealed that the attack on the parliament was planned to be carried out by a 16-year-old boy who received extensive training.
The report added that the other sites that were part of IS plan included “Morocco Mall,” the biggest mall in Africa, and headquarters of the state owned Office Cherifien de Phosphate (OCP), world’s leading producer of phosphate rock.
A top Moroccan intelligence official said Friday that IS planned a series of terror attacks in Morocco, including a suicide car bomb attack.
The mastermind of the cell was arrested inside a “safe house” in the city of El Jadida, about 190 km southwest of the capital Rabat, where a considerable amount of arms and ammunition were seized, according to the Interior Ministry.
Moroccan intelligence official said the seized weapons were smuggled from Libya in close collaboration with senior IS affiliates.
Morocco has seen a growing threat from the IS group. The ministry said it has busted 31 terrorist cells since 2013 and foiled “numerous terrorist plans” targeting vital national, Arab and Western interests.
