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Morocco's BCIJ Dismantles ISIS-Linked Cell

Members of the Moroccan Central Bureau of Judicial Investigation (BCIJ) show their skills during an event, open to the public, on September 28, 2018, in Marrakesh. (Photo by FADEL SENNA / AFP)
Members of the Moroccan Central Bureau of Judicial Investigation (BCIJ) show their skills during an event, open to the public, on September 28, 2018, in Marrakesh. (Photo by FADEL SENNA / AFP)
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Morocco's BCIJ Dismantles ISIS-Linked Cell

Members of the Moroccan Central Bureau of Judicial Investigation (BCIJ) show their skills during an event, open to the public, on September 28, 2018, in Marrakesh. (Photo by FADEL SENNA / AFP)
Members of the Moroccan Central Bureau of Judicial Investigation (BCIJ) show their skills during an event, open to the public, on September 28, 2018, in Marrakesh. (Photo by FADEL SENNA / AFP)

Morocco’s Central Bureau of Judicial Investigation (BCIJ) busted on Friday a five-member terrorist cell in Safi, a city located in Western Morocco. The cell included a former detainee jailed for his involvement in terror-related charges with ISIS.

The suspects are aged between 21-36 Morocco’s Ministry of Interior said in a statement.

Investigations by the Security services found that the suspects had pledged allegiance to ISIS and were planning to join fighters in Syrian and Iraqi combat zones in coordination with members on the ground.

The suspects were also planning terror plots to undermine the security and stability of Morocco.

The BCIJ seized several electronic devices and knives, in addition to radicalized scripts, added the statement.

According to the ministry, one of the suspects “attempted to exploit his presence in a sub-Saharan country to obtain sponsors to join a group affiliated to ISIS, which is active in the Sahel region.

Police have put the suspects in custody for further investigations.

Since December 2018, BCIJ has arrested 918 people for terror-related crimes, including 14 women and 29 minors.

The number of terror cells and suspects for terror-related crimes has increased in Morocco. BCIJ has been especially active in the first two months of 2019, arresting a number of Isis-linked terrorism suspects between January and February.

In January, the bureau dismantled a 13-member terror cell for their alleged ISIS ties.

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Geagea Calls on Hezbollah to Work with Lebanese Army

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea. (Lebanese Forces)
Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea. (Lebanese Forces)
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Geagea Calls on Hezbollah to Work with Lebanese Army

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea. (Lebanese Forces)
Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea. (Lebanese Forces)

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea urged on Friday Hezbollah to engage with the Lebanese army and devise a plan to dismantle its military infrastructure south and north of the Litani river.

In a press conference Friday, Geagea criticized Hezbollah for opening a front with Israel and accused the Shiite group of committing a “major crime” against the Lebanese people.

“We could have done without the martyrdom of more than 4,000 people, the displacement of thousands and the destruction across the country,” he said. “Despite all these tragedies, Hezbollah continues to talk about a victory using a bizarre and disconnected logic that has no basis in reality.”

Geagea’s comments came two days after a US-brokered ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel went into effect. More than 3,900 people have been killed in Lebanon since Israel's conflict with Hezbollah escalated.

Geagea, whose Lebanese Forces Party holds the largest bloc in Lebanon’s 128-member parliament, also addressed Lebanon’s presidential deadlock. The country has been without a president for more than two years.

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri has scheduled a session for presidential elections in January. "Consultations with opposition factions and our allies will begin in the coming days to explore the possibility of agreeing on presidential candidates and bringing them to parliament,” Geagea said.