Morocco’s Anti-Terror Chief Warns of Security Gap with Algeria, Citing AQIM Threat

"Unfortunately, there is no cooperation with Algeria, although the most active terrorist organization in the Sahelo-Saharan region is the Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), previously led by the Algerian Mokhtar Belmokhtar, [the former leader of the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC) who joined Al-Qaeda in 2007, editor’s note]," he said during his appearance on the "With Ramdani" program on the 2M television channel.

According to the new boss of the Moroccan FBI, the existence of such cooperation between the two countries would have already made it possible to neutralize the new leader of AQIM, originally from the city of Laâyoune, Adnane Abou Walid al-Sahraoui, author of many terrorist acts in the region. According to Mr. Habboub, "the terrorist threat is still present and it is serious".

He explained that "there is a new aggravating factor". This is the arrival of many terrorists from the combat zones in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan in the Sahel. The greatest danger posed by these fighters, the official stressed, lies in the fact that "after losing their mother organizations, including Daesh, they feel free from any disciplinary commitment and are therefore ready for any terrorist act in the countries of the region".

"This danger threatens Morocco as it also threatens Algeria and all the countries of the Sahel," he warned, hoping that the two countries will establish security cooperation as soon as possible to fight terrorism.