Terrorist recruitment ring busted in Morocco

Rabat, Sep 26 (IANS/MAP) Moroccan and Spanish security forces have disbanded a network in northeast Morocco, suspected of recruiting fighters for the Islamic State (IS) Sunni radical group.

Eight members of the network were arrested in a joint operation in Nador and Melilia, the Moroccan interior ministry said in a press release, adding that the group was in touch with members of Attaouhid and Al Mouahidine, two other groups disbanded in May 2013 in Nador, the Moroccan news agency MAP said.

The ministry said the group also coordinated with the Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb group in northern Mali where the brother of the group's chief was active since 2012 before joining the IS.

The chief of the group was involved in several crimes, including robbery, while other members were involved in smuggling goods and selling stolen cars to finance the travel of the group members to Syria and Iraq, it said.

--IANS/MAP

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