A German court has sentenced German-Egyptian national Tariq S.S. to eight years in prison after finding him guilty of planning terrorist attacks in Germany, including a vehicle-ramming attack. His arrest on October 24, 2023, in Essen was made possible by precise intelligence provided by Morocco's General Directorate for Territorial Surveillance (DGST). Residing in Duisburg and aged 29, the defendant reportedly joined ISIS in Syria before returning to Germany, where he began preparing attacks. His most dangerous plan involved using a truck to ram into civilians. His apprehension resulted from close intelligence cooperation between Moroccan and German authorities. Between September and October 2023, the DGST provided key information, including his full identity, photographs, address, and details of his suspicious activities. These elements were instrumental in preventing his attack and securing his arrest before he could act. This operation underscores the effectiveness of Morocco's international security cooperation under the leadership of Abdellatif Hammouchi. Moroccan intelligence services have played a crucial role in thwarting several terrorist plots abroad and neutralizing individuals linked to transnational extremist networks. The strengthening of security partnerships is part of an ongoing effort between Morocco and several European nations. In January, Abdellatif Hammouchi traveled to Madrid for a tripartite meeting with Francisco Pardo Piqueras, Director General of the Spanish police, and Dieter Romann, head of the German Federal Police, to enhance operational and technical collaboration. In the same spirit, on February 27, 2024, Hammouchi hosted Holger Münch, President of the German Federal Criminal Police Office, in Rabat to further deepen bilateral cooperation and develop joint strategies to combat security threats, particularly cross-border terrorism.
