2nd LD: IS plans series of terror attacks in Morocco: official

A top Moroccan intelligence official said Friday that the Islamic State (IS) planned a series of terror attacks in Morocco, including a suicide car bomb attack.

Deeming the busted terrorist cell on Thursday as "the most dangerous" cell dismantled in Morocco, the director of the Central Bureau of Judicial Investigations, Abdelhak Khiame, told reporters that investigations revealed the members of this cell planned attacks against sensitive sites, including hotels, and high profile civil and military figures.

He said the suicide car bomb attack was planned to be carried out by a 16-year-old boy who received extensive training, adding that the seized weapon and ammunition were smuggled from Libya in close collaboration with IS leaders.

Morocco's Interior Ministry said Thursday that security services have foiled "dangerous" IS terrorist attacks and arrested 10 suspects, including a French national.

"The 10-member cell was commandos acting based on precise plans designed by IS", Khiame said, adding the cell planned to get more weapons from Libya, he added.

The mastermind of the cell was arrested inside a "safe house" in the city of El Jadida, about 190 km southwest of the capital Rabat, where a considerable amount of weapons and ammunitions were seized, according to the Interior Ministry.

During the operation, the police also seized four expandable batons, an electric Taser, six plastic bottles containing chemicals which could be used to make explosives, an IS flag, as well as bladed weapons and military uniforms.

Morocco has seen a growing threat from the IS group. The ministry said it has busted 31 terrorist cells since 2013 and foiled "numerous terrorist plans" targeting vital national, Arab and Western interests. Endit