Morocco arrests eight for recruiting IS fighters

AFP , Saturday 17 Jan 2015

Moroccan authorities have arrested eight people suspected of recruiting fighters for the Islamic State group and will send them to trial, the interior ministry said Saturday.

The ministry did not say when the arrests were made but said the suspects were part of a cell active in the central towns of Meknes and El Hajed and in Al Hoceima in the north.

Morocco has announced the arrest of several would-be jihadists in recent weeks.

Dozens of people accused of links to terrorism have also been tried and jailed for up to five years.

In September, the government approved a bill to tighten anti-terrorist legislation, aimed especially at stopping people from joining jihadist groups.

A month later, it boosted security across the kingdom to counter any threats.

More than 2,000 Moroccans, including people with dual citizenship, are believed to have signed on with jihadist groups in Syria and Iraq, where IS controls huge chunks of territory.

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