Morocco says it dismantled Islamic State cell that was planning attacks

Moroccan authorities this month arrested a dozen people they said were planning attacks on behalf of the Islamic State in the Sahel, a region south of the Sahara Desert, officials said Monday.

The discovery of the terrorist cell and what authorities called an “imminent dangerous terrorist plot” reflect the expanding ambitions of extremist groups in the region.

Authorities did not provide details of the plot or motivations of those arrested, but released photographs and videos showing officers raiding terrorist cells throughout the country.

The images showed weapons stockpiles found during police raids, Islamic State flags drawn on walls, and thousands of dollars of cash.

“Morocco remains a major target in the agenda of all terrorist organizations operating in the Sahel,” Habboub Cherkaoui, the head of Morocco’s Central Bureau of Judicial Investigations, said at a news conference.

Read more: ABC News