A ten-member terrorist cell was busted last Thursday after one of the members got caught by local authorities. The commando group pledged allegiance to ISIS and was in the middle of planning their attack.
The first attack was supposed to be carried out the next day, on Friday. Authorities announced that the terrorists were planning numerous attacks on public institutions and civil and military figures.
They seized weapons including four machine guns, three revolvers, a rifle, an automatic pistol, six plastic bottles containing explosives, and vast quantities of ammunition.
They also seized thirteen teargas bombs, an electric Taser, four expandable batons, foreign passports, four mobile phones and computers.
It’s a great thing that local authorities did their job and managed to apprehend the group and seize their arsenal. There’s no telling how much destruction they would’ve caused with such military equipment.
It is unclear how long the group has been operating and how did they actually form. This particular cell could be easily recognized by their weapons and training. The biological weapons found were brought from Libya and could be used to make explosives. As soon as the group pledged allegiance to ISIS, the so-called state started supporting them. They sent weapons, and provided the training.
One of the group members was a 16-year-old French citizen who received training to carry out a suicide bomb attack.
The cell members were active in more than five different cities on the western coast of the country and some of the most important inland cities, Essaouira, Meknes, Sidi Kacem and Laayoune. After striking a deal with ISIS, they received weapons and training to undermine and destabilize the Moroccan government. The group was based in Sehb El Harcha, about 12 miles from Tan-Tan, one of the most important cities in the country. The area was very much like the environment where ISIS is based, and authorities think this was a determining factor as well.
Recent pressure on the Islamic State, in Iraq, got the group thinking about relocating. There was evidence that the terrorists were considering moving operations to Libya, so they could exploit the unstable situation there. They were planning on collaborating with other cells in the area by empowering, arming and financing them and all of it would’ve been backed by ISIS.
It’s good to see authorities doing their jobs, protecting and serving innocent people. It’s great to see that they can handle their own problems every now and then. However, I can’t help but wonder how many other terrorist cells are out there, and where is it that they’ll strike next.
Do you think our government should get more involved in fighting ISIS, or should we let them fight their own civil wars? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
