Morocco dismantles ‘terrorist cell’ plotting attacks on government buildings

Morocco’s interior ministry on Monday said it has dismantled a “terrorist cell” consisting of three individuals who were plotting attacks against government buildings and ATM machines.

“The unit of judicial police has dismantled a terrorist cell composed of three individuals from the area of Agouray [near Meknes] who were plotting to carry out criminal acts of sabotage and arson attacks on security and administrative buildings and ATM machines,” the ministry said in a statement.

The members of the cell had managed to disrupt electricity supply in the areas where they planned to carry out their operations and used the internet to spread their “extremist thoughts and to incite disobedience through organizing protests accompanied by acts of sabotage,” the statement added.

The ministry said the suspects would be sent to court after the investigation is completed.

In October 2011, A Moroccan court sentenced to death Adil Othmani, the main suspect in a terrorist attack that blew up the Argana cafe in Djemaa el-Fna square, a popular tourist sport marked by the UNESCO as a world heritage site.

The attack killed 17 people, mostly tourists, and wounded more than 20 others.

Moroccan authorities said Othmani disguised as a Western ‘hippie’ remotely detonated a bomb which he had left in a bag inside the café.

(Written by Mustapha Ajbaili)