Morocco Extradites Russian Jihadist to Moscow in Interpol Operation

Security cooperation between Rabat and Moscow has resulted in the transfer of a terrorism suspect. According to Irina Volk, spokesperson for Russia’s Interior Ministry, whose comments were reported by the TASS news agency, a Russian national was handed over to his country’s authorities at Casablanca airport.

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The man, who was the subject of an Interpol red notice, is accused of traveling to Syria in 2012 to join illegal armed groups. The investigation states that he allegedly operated within Jaysh al-Muhajirin wal-Ansar, a group that later merged with the Jabhat al-Nusra front, classified as a terrorist organization and banned in Russia.

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Prosecuted under the Russian Criminal Code for participation in a terrorist organization, the suspect had fled abroad before being located and arrested in Morocco through Interpol’s information-sharing channels.

“Accompanied by officers from Interpol’s National Central Bureau […] and the Federal Penitentiary Service, the Russian citizen was extradited,” the spokesperson confirmed, adding that his transfer to Moscow is now complete so that he can answer the charges against him.