Morocco Arrests Nine over IS Propaganda, Recruitment

Morocco said Thursday it arrested nine suspects for spreading Islamic State group propaganda and trying to recruit people to join the jihadist organization.

The arrests were carried out in a number of cities and towns in the North African country, the interior ministry said in a statement.

The nine were suspected of "spreading propaganda on behalf of IS, encouraging youths to join the group and training them to use arms and make bombs," said the ministry.

They were also accused of using the Internet to promote the ideology of IS, said the ministry, adding that they would now face justice.

In April, Moroccan authorities said they dismantled a cell in the city of Fez that was recruiting fighters for IS in Iraq and Syria.

The arrests came after jihadists claiming to belong to IS killed 21 foreign tourists and a policeman in an attack on Tunisia's Bardo National Museum in March.

Morocco, which is on guard against such attacks, prides itself on being a bastion against Islamist extremism with its anti-jihadist unit and training of imams to preach tolerance.