The director of the Central Bureau of Judicial Investigation (BCIJ), Habboub Cherkaoui, gave more details on the operation to dismantle the Oujda terrorist cell. For him, there is no doubt that this terrorist cell, affiliated with Daesh and composed of 4 people who have pledged allegiance to the Islamic State, were planning to carry out terrorist actions in Morocco.
Habboub Cherkaoui indicated that this operation would not have been a success without the cooperation and coordination between the General Directorate of Territorial Surveillance of Morocco (DGST) and the US intelligence services. The contribution made by the United States demonstrates that there is “effective international cooperation which bears fruit” in this area of the fight against terrorism.
It emerges from the explanations provided by the director that the 4 accused, aged 24 to 28, were recruited by one of the IS leaders who “was in charge of their supervision and of coordinating operations with them” . They are expected to join armed camps in the Sahel region, but according to Habboub Cherkaoui, “ISIS leaders have changed their minds and charged them with implementing Daesh’s agenda in Morocco.”
According to the director, “the Sahel area has become a favorable and privileged place for all terrorist organizations, including Al Qaida in the Maghreb (AQIM) and the Islamic State in the greater Sahara currently led by Adnane Abou Al Walid Al Sahraoui, in plus the Support Group for Islam and Muslims, Jama’at al-Tawhid wal-Jihad… ”and many others. This is why Haboub Cherkaoui calls for the strengthening of international cooperation and partnerships in the field of the fight against terrorism.
The elements of the BCIJ carried out four simultaneous operations, supervised by Habboub Cherkaoui, in the districts of Sidi Lakhdar, Zitoune, Oued Nachef and Route de Jerada, and arrested four people, including two brothers.
