Country Report on Terrorism 2024 - Chapter 1 - Morocco

Country Overview:  Morocco continued to face sporadic threats from lone actors and small terrorist cells, the majority of which claimed to be inspired by or affiliated with ISIS.  Moroccan law enforcement successfully leveraged intelligence and international collaboration to conduct counterterrorism operations.  Morocco’s Central Bureau of Judicial Investigation remained the primary agency for terrorism prosecutions, operating under the General Directorate for Territorial Surveillance.

Border security remained a top priority for Moroccan authorities, with the General Directorate of National Security leading inspections at ports of entry.  Moroccan officials and private carriers regularly cooperated with the United States to detect watch-listed travelers and deter illegal transit, demonstrating excellent capabilities to detect fraudulent documents. Additionally, police and naval units maintain checkpoints along roads and monitor coastal waters to intercept illicit traffickers.  The number of Moroccan citizen terrorist fighters and associated family members outside the country numbers in the hundreds.

Morocco has a comprehensive strategy to counter terrorism that prioritizes economic and human development in addition to countering terrorism recruitment and overseeing the religious sphere.  The Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs developed an educational curriculum for Morocco’s more than 50,000 imams and religious guides.  The General Delegation for Prison Administration and Reintegration continued its deradicalization programs, in cooperation with other ministries.

Morocco’s counter terrorist financing efforts are consistent with previous years.  Morocco is a member of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, co-chairing the Africa Focus Group, and remains a member of the Global Counterterrorism Forum.

2024 Terrorism Trends:  Moroccan law enforcement, under the coordination of the Ministry of Interior, arrested at least 29 ISIS-inspired terrorists for plotting terrorist acts; eight of the individuals were categorized as lone actors, while the others were involved in terrorist cells. Several of those arrested sought to fabricate improvised explosive devices, and numerous individuals indicated an interest in traveling to join ISIS affiliates in sub-Saharan Africa.  This followed an uptick in disseminated ISIS propaganda in previous years, urging supporters to travel to ISIS affiliates in sub-Saharan Africa.