Tangier judicial police arrested a 22-year-old extremist affiliated with the terrorist organization ISIS on Friday evening, following accurate intelligence provided by the General Directorate for Territorial Surveillance, the Central Bureau of Judicial Investigations (BCIJ) said.
A search of the suspect’s premises led to the seizure of manuscripts detailing the M.O used in cyber intrusions, as well as electronic devices, including a modified cell phone connected to electrical wires, according to a BCIJ statement.
The seized items also included various equipment, such as electrical wires, batteries, adhesive tape, nails, circuit breakers and welding goggles, as well as solid and liquid chemicals suspected of being used in the preparation and manufacture of explosives.
The seized substances will undergo technical and scientific analyses to determine their composition and the purpose for which they were held, the statement said.
Preliminary findings from the investigation and surveillance indicate that the suspect had begun preparing terrorist plots in Morocco and had conducted initial experiments to manufacture explosive devices, the same source said.
The suspect was subsequently referred to the BCIJ and placed in custody pending further investigation under the supervision of the public prosecutor’s office responsible for terrorism cases.
The investigation aims to uncover any terrorist plots the suspect may have been involved in preparing and determine the extent of his potential links to individuals or networks in Morocco and abroad.
The operation is part of ongoing security efforts to counter threats posed by terrorist organizations to the security of the Kingdom and the safety of its citizens.