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Morocco Foils ‘Highly Dangerous’ Terror Plot

Moroccan special forces. Reuters file photo
Moroccan special forces. Reuters file photo
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Morocco Foils ‘Highly Dangerous’ Terror Plot

Moroccan special forces. Reuters file photo
Moroccan special forces. Reuters file photo

The Central Bureau of Judicial Investigation (BCIJ) said on Wednesday that it successfully thwarted a “highly dangerous” terrorist plot targeting Morocco, commissioned and instigated directly by a senior ISIS leader in the Sahel region of Africa.

It said the plot was thwarted based on precise information provided by the General Directorate for Territorial Surveillance (DGST).

An operation conducted simultaneously in the cities of Laayoune, Casablanca, Fez, Taounate, Tangier, Azemmour, Jersif, Oulad Tayma and Tamsna, in the suburbs of Rabat, resulted in the arrest of 12 extremists aged between 18 and 40 years, who had pledged allegiance to the ISIS terrorist organization and were involved in preparing and coordinating perilous terrorist projects, said a statement from DGST.

According to Maghreb Arabe Presse (MAP), intelligence information, supported by investigations, shows that the members of the terrorist cell were linked to a senior ISIS leader in the Sahel region, in charge of the so-called “external operations” committee tasked with internationalizing terrorist projects outside the Sahel region south of the Sahara, who oversaw the financing and logistical support, and further provided members of this cell with digital content explaining the modus operandi of the terrorist operations.

The investigations also unveiled that the terrorist cell adopted a precise organizational method, under instructions of the same ISIS leader, where terrorist plots were addressed exclusively to the team of “coordinators” who were, in turn, in charge of sending these plans to other members either directly or through indirect channels.

Then, the plans are communicated to the team of those “involved” in carrying out terrorist operations, as well as to the branch in charge of support and financing, which directly receives financial payments from ISIS without going through banks.

As for the imminent terrorist projects identified by the ISIS Sahel branch assigned to the members of this terrorist cell, they include targeting members of the public force by luring and kidnapping them, eliminating them and desecrating their bodies; targeting sensitive economic and security facilities and foreign interests in Morocco; as well as committing terrorist acts affecting the environment by deliberately setting fires.

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Lebanese Govt Approaches Hezbollah Arms File Without Decisions

In this photo, released by the Lebanese Presidency press office, Lebanese president Joseph Aoun, center foreground, and Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, right, head a cabinet meeting at the presidential palace in Baabda, east of Beirut, Lebanon, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (Lebanese Presidency press office via AP)
In this photo, released by the Lebanese Presidency press office, Lebanese president Joseph Aoun, center foreground, and Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, right, head a cabinet meeting at the presidential palace in Baabda, east of Beirut, Lebanon, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (Lebanese Presidency press office via AP)
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Lebanese Govt Approaches Hezbollah Arms File Without Decisions

In this photo, released by the Lebanese Presidency press office, Lebanese president Joseph Aoun, center foreground, and Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, right, head a cabinet meeting at the presidential palace in Baabda, east of Beirut, Lebanon, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (Lebanese Presidency press office via AP)
In this photo, released by the Lebanese Presidency press office, Lebanese president Joseph Aoun, center foreground, and Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, right, head a cabinet meeting at the presidential palace in Baabda, east of Beirut, Lebanon, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (Lebanese Presidency press office via AP)

Lebanon’s government addressed the contentious issue of Hezbollah’s weapons
and the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701 with no concrete decisions made during the recent cabinet discussions.
Government sources who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the Lebanese Forces bloc demanded that timeline for the disarmament of Hezbollah be set, but there was no response to their demand. Other ministers argued that the matter of exclusive state control over weapons is already addressed in the government's ministerial statement.

Moreover, and in a gesture underscoring its commitment to international cooperation, the government approved the extension of the mandate for the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), highlighting Lebanon’s “keenness on partnership with the international community to maintain stability.”
It also reported 2,740 Israeli violations since the ceasefire agreement was put in place.

In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, government sources said that President Joseph Aoun has vowed to discuss the matter of setting a timeline to disarm Hezbollah with the relevant parties, and will report the outcome of his consultations back to the cabinet.

Following the cabinet session, Information Minister Paul Morcos reaffirmed the government's commitment to asserting state authority over all Lebanese territory. He underscored the need to bolster the Lebanese Army amid growing security challenges—particularly in the south, where the army continues to carry out its duties despite repeated Israeli aggressions.

The Minister stated that Army Commander General Rodolph Haikal delivered a security briefing during the meeting, outlining ongoing operations and the army's position. Haikal stressed Lebanon’s full commitment to implementing UN Security Council Resolution 1701, in contrast to Israel’s repeated violations, which, he said, hinder the army’s deployment and the extension of state authority in the region.
UN Security Council Resolution 1701 calls for the Lebanese Army’s deployment south of the Litani River and the removal of all unauthorized armed groups.

Despite limited resources, Morcos noted, the army “continues to fulfill its duties under difficult conditions”.
Industry Minister, Joe Issa el-Khoury, said after the cabinet meeting at Baabda Palace that ministers of the Lebanese Forces bloc raised the issue of setting a six-month timeline for the handover of all illegal weapons—both Lebanese and non-Lebanese. They proposed beginning the process with the Palestinian refugee camps.
Morco also announced that the Cabinet approved the extension of the UNIFIL mandate in southern Lebanon, stressing the Lebanese state’s commitment to its partnership with the international community in preserving stability.

For his part, President Aoun, at the onset of the session, described his meeting with Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Tamim Al-Thani, in Doha as “fruitful and excellent,” revealing that a Qatari delegation may visit Lebanon next week to discuss the electricity file.
Aoun also thanked the Intelligence Directorate and General Security for arresting members of a cell involved in rocket launches from southern Lebanon. He expressed hope that the cell recently dismantled in Jordan—whose members admitted to receiving training in Lebanon—will be fully unraveled.
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, for his part, spoke about his recent visit to Syria. He said four major issues were discussed: securing and eventually demarcating the Lebanese-Syrian border, the case of Lebanese detainees who disappeared in Syria, Lebanese nationals wanted by authorities who are currently in Syria, and the issue of Syrian prisoners held in Lebanon.
Salam underscored that some of the most pressing matters discussed was the return of Syrian refugees back to their homeland, and the need to lift sanctions on Syria in order to facilitate this process.
The visit also included an official request for information related to the Beirut port explosion.