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Morocco says dismantled terror cell linked to IS

Xinhua, March 24, 2015 Adjust font size:

A terrorist cell dismantled Sunday in Morocco had links to the Islamic State (IS) militant group and was planning attacks on Moroccan political and military figures, a senior Moroccan judicial official said on Tuesday.

The cell had pledged allegiance to the IS and vowed to target Moroccan security forces and to send recruits to fight in Syria and Iraq, Abdel Haq Al-Khyam, head of the Central Bureau of Judicial Investigation, was quoted as saying by Moroccan Radio.

As many as 13 suspects were arrested in a nationwide operation on Sunday, Al-Khyam said.

He added that the cell brought in arms through Melilla, one of two Spanish enclaves in the north of Morocco.

Police seized 13 automatic weapons and a large amount of ammunition which were to have been used for a string of assassinations.

According to Al-Khyam 1,354 Moroccans are believed to have gone to fight with the IS in Syria and Iraq, of which 156 have returned to the country. Endit