Morocco says it arrests 52 suspects in IS-linked terror cell

RABAT, Morocco – Morocco’s Interior Ministry says it has arrested 52 people suspected of being part of a cell linked to the Islamic State group.

A ministry statement on Wednesday said the arrests were made July 19, and represented the largest group detained among numerous suspected cells dismantled in recent years.

The statement says suspects were from throughout the country and were planning attacks on various sites inside and outside Morocco, including music festivals. No further information was provided about the individuals.

Authorities say they seized weapons, manuals describing how to make explosives and chemical weapons, books about suicide bombings, and Islamic State group flags.

The statement says the investigation established links between the suspects and “jihadists in Tindouf and the Sahel,” a reference to refugee camps in southern Algeria and sub-Saharan Africa.