FBI DIRECTOR AND GOM DISCUSS TERRORISM, TRAINING

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 RABAT 001119 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/04/2017 TAGS: KCRM MO PGOV PREL PTER SUBJECT: FBI DIRECTOR AND GOM DISCUSS TERRORISM, TRAINING AND TRAFFICKING Classified By: Ambassador Thomas Riley for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (S) In separate June 29 meetings, FBI Director Mueller met with Justice Minister Mohammed Bouzoubaa, Interior Minister Chakib Benmoussa and other top security officials to encourage continued cooperation between the USG and the GOM in combating terrorism. Bouzoubaa said that Morocco is a target for violent jihadists because it is a model of moderate Islamic democracy. He requested the USG's help in extraditing Mohammed Guerbouzi, an alleged member of the Moroccan Islamic Group for Combat, from the U.K. Benmoussa linked the GOM's stance on terrorism to the Western Sahara situation, characterizing it as preventing "another Afghanistan" by blocking the growth of a lawless zone ruled by extremists. Benmoussa thanked the director for the USG's technical assistance and asked that it continue. End Summary. TENSIONS BETWEEN TIMELINESS AND LEGAL REQUIREMENTS -------------- -------------- ¶2. (S) On June 29, FBI Director Mueller, accompanied by the Ambassador, the LEGATT, and an FBI delegation met with Justice Minister Mohammed Bouzoubaa and his aides. Bouzoubaa explained the value and role of investigative judges in the French-based Moroccan legal system. Law enforcement agencies are only allowed a few days' interrogation with a suspect before they are required to turn him or her over to Ministry of Justice (MOJ) custody. Investigative judges are not bound by time constraints and can take time to elicit information from, and develop a case against, a suspect. Morocco has arrested 1,636 accused terrorists since 2001, and prosecuted 1,065, the Minister stated. The remaining 571 cases are under investigation. ¶3. (S) Bouzoubaa provided Mueller with a verbal and written overview of Moroccan counterterrorism efforts since September 11, 2001, saying that Morocco is a target for violent jihadists because it is a successful model of a moderate and democratic Islamic state. Poor, uneducated, and impressionable youth provide violent Salafists with raw recruits who are "brainwashed" by being subjected to jihadist tapes, films and a skewed version of Islam. Some terrorism plots originate outside Morocco, mainly from extremists living in Europe. ¶4. (S) As an example, Bouzoubaa mentioned the case of Mohammed Gerbouzi. According to Bouzoubaa, Gerbouzi spent time in Afghanistan and joined the Moroccan Islamic Group for Combat when he returned to Morocco. He is currently in the U.K., which has refused GOM extradition requests, and has declined to prosecute Gerbouzi in Britain, citing a lack of evidence. ¶5. (S) Director Mueller stressed the extreme importance of rapid information sharing on terrorism issues between the GOM and the USG. He recognizes the need for official documents generated through a Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty for use in court, but emphasized that at times the USG would rather receive actionable intelligence immediately rather than waiting for it to pass through official channels. Mueller congratulated the GOM on its counterterrorism successes, the recent passing of anti-money laundering and terrorism laws, and expressed his condolences over a police officer's recent death in an anti-terrorist operation. The Director agreed to raise the Guerbouzi issue with his UK counterpart in an upcoming meeting. BUILDING MOROCCO'S TECHNICAL COUNTERTERRORISM CAPACITY -------------- -------------- ¶6. (S) Subsequently on June 29, the Director, Ambassador and the FBI delegation met with Interior Minister Chakib Benmoussa, the Director General of National Security (National Police),the Director General of Territorial Surveillance (Internal Security) and their aides. Benmoussa linked the GOM's counterterrorism activities with a need to prevent the Western Sahara from becoming a lawless region ruled by extremists, "like Afghanistan." He further connected terrorism in Western Sahara and the southern region with criminal behavior such as drug and human trafficking. ¶7. (S) Benmoussa requested continued assistance in improving the GOM's biometric tracking capabilities at ports of entry and internally, and noted that the GOM intends to RABAT 00001119 002 OF 002 pursue a DNA collection program. Director Mueller congratulated the GOM on its progress and pledged continued cooperation in the biometric field, and again expressed his sorrow over the police officer's recent death. He deferred to Ambassador Riley on the Western Sahara question, but requested enhanced sharing of email, banking, telephone and explosive data from the GOM. He agreed to continue to seek appropriate training for GOM security and police elements, particularly in the areas of explosives and biometrics. Mueller mentioned that Embassy Rabat is working to establish a program to train and equip several GOM bomb technicians in ¶2008. ****************************************** Visit Embassy Rabat's Classified Website; http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/rabat ****************************************** RILEY