Terror cell was to target American, Jewish interests in Morocco

The seventeen islamists that were arrested mid-November were planning to bomb American and Jewish interests in Morocco, according to police sources.


Mohamed Mazouz and Brahim Benchekroun while leaving the prison of Salé in March.

One of the main suspects, Moroccan-born Belgian national, Mohamed Reha, 18, told the police that some Moroccans and Algerians, linked to al Qaeda, were planning to "bomb American and Jewish interests especially in Tangier (northern Morocco) and south-west city of Essaouira," as well as "representatives of the impious and infidel Moroccan authorities," said the same source.

He revealed that the group had intentions to "lead the jihad war against the regime in order to establish the Islamic Caliphate" in Morocco.

Police said the group, “shouldered by Algerian nationals who sneaked into Morocco,” was planning to perpetrate bombings “against hotels especially in Essaouira, where there is a big flow of Jewish tourists, and in Agadir (south-west), as well as against the casino in Tangier and the parliament in Rabat.”

Ships that transport Americans were also listed as targets, said the same source.

The police said Reha also revealed during the interrogation that some young people were being recruited to be sent to Algeria to be trained on “handling weapons and manufacturing explosives,” as a “first step” in the “Jihad project in Morocco and in the region.”

The suspect has also confessed he had come to Morocco “to conduct the terror operations” and admitted having “recruited some young people, who were arrested at the same time as himself, in Tangier, Agadir and Casablanca.”

Mohamed Reha, considered as one of the “masterminds of the terrorist cell,” told authorities he had discussed with his uncle, Ahmed Zemmouri, also a Moroccan-born Belgian islamist who was arrested, the need to “create a secret organisation.”

According to him, Algerian Khalid Abou Bassir, one of al Qaeda leaders in Europe, was to “contact our brothers of the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (SGPC) to take charge of the training the Moroccan recruits.”

According to the police, Abou Bassir would have revealed to Reha his intention to create a “jihadist movement in the Arab Maghreb under the management of al Qaeda with a joint organization for Morocco and Algeria.” The group was to be named “al Qaeda Organisation in Arab Maghreb Countries.”

Tags: Morocco, Fes, Jihad, Terrorism,