Homeland Defenders Foil Dangerous Terrorist Plot: Foiling a Bombing Operation Thanks to the Vigilance of Security Forces

ALDAR/ Analysis

The Moroccan security services, in cooperation and coordination with various specialized teams, the Directorate General of National Security (DGST), and the Central Bureau of Judicial Investigations (BCIJ), managed to thwart an imminent terrorist plot aimed at carrying out a series of explosions in sensitive areas. The operation, carried out in the early hours of Sunday morning, resulted in the arrest of four terrorists linked to the “ISIS” organization in the region of Had Soualem in the Berrechid province. They were in the preparatory stages of carrying out destructive operations using explosive materials.

The operation, led by the special forces of the Moroccan intelligence service “DGST” in full coordination with the BCIJ, was based on precise intelligence provided by the Directorate General of National Security. This exceptional collaboration also included field support from the Royal Gendarmerie’s Air Unit and the Judicial Center, which coordinated interventions at multiple sites.

The operation targeted two residential homes in different areas within Had Soualem, where a number of suspicious materials were seized that were being used to prepare explosives. Searches also uncovered bladed weapons, bottles containing chemical liquids, chemical fertilizers, explosive salts, and equipment used in making explosives, such as electrical wires and adhesive tapes. These materials were sent to technical experts for detailed analysis.

Intelligence investigations had started some time ago after the Directorate General of National Security detected a video showing the suspects pledging allegiance to the “ISIS” terrorist organization and committing to joining its camps in the Sahel region to carry out terrorist attacks on Moroccan soil. According to security sources, this cell was in the process of preparing explosive materials, having visited four shops selling chemical substances necessary for bomb-making, which they stored in one of the homes and prepared for use in experimental operations.

In addition to the searches, a specialized team from the forensic police used trained dogs to detect explosive materials, while a helicopter from the Royal Gendarmerie secured the area from the air. Sniper units specialized in precision shooting monitored the intervention sites. The close cooperation between the various security units played a crucial role in foiling this terrorist plot in its final moments.

The four suspects have been placed under provisional detention pending further investigation. The Central Bureau of Judicial Investigations, under the supervision of the Public Prosecutor’s Office handling terrorism cases, is conducting an extensive investigation to uncover any potential links of this cell to local and international terrorist organizations, as well as to identify other parties involved in the plot.

This successful operation highlights the Moroccan security services’ ability to effectively and professionally deal with terrorist threats. It also underscores the continuous coordination between various security agencies in combating terrorism. Thanks to the vigilance of the authorities, a major massacre that could have claimed the lives of many innocent people was avoided.