Taourirt judicial police, in coordination with Morocco’s Territorial Surveillance Agency (DGST), arrested a school teacher on Wednesday reportedly influenced by the extremist ideology of the terrorist organization ISIS. They asserted that the suspect, who works in Douar Sidi Chafi in Taourirt province in northern Morocco, poses a “significant security threat.”
A search of the suspect’s residence resulted in the seizure of suspicious chemical substances which police say can be used in the manufacture of improvised explosive devices. These included containers of hydrochloric acid, hydrogen peroxide, and zinc sulfate, all of which have been sent for further scientific analysis. The police also confiscated various knives and other weapons, mobile phones, and electronic devices.
Preliminary investigations indicated that the suspect had gathered extensive information on materials and methods used to create explosives and sought to familiarize himself with their application. The suspect’s alleged goal was to carry out a terrorist plot to cause severe harm to public safety and order.
The operation is part of the ongoing efforts of police to neutralize terrorist threats and prevent extremist activities that endanger the Kingdom’s safety and stability, according to a statement from the Central Bureau of Judicial Investigations (BCIJ).
The suspect has been handed over to the BCIJ and is now in custody pending further investigation under the supervision of the public prosecutor’s office specializing in terrorism-related cases.