Hammouchi calls from Moscow for a global security alliance against transnational threats
The Director General of National Security and Territorial Surveillance, Abdellatif Hammouchi, presented, on May 28, 2025, in Moscow a concerning assessment of the security threats facing Morocco and the world. His speech took place during the 13th International Forum of Senior Security and Intelligence Officials, organized by the Russian National Security Council. The Moroccan official called for the creation of a global security front based on information sharing and equitable cooperation.
In a lengthy address, Hammouchi emphasized the urgency of building a joint architecture of security and intelligence cooperation among countries, stressing the importance of fair partnerships based on the win-win principle. He warned about the growing interconnection between transnational criminal networks and terrorist groups, which increasingly evade border controls and exploit global governance loopholes.
Hammouchi revealed that Moroccan security services had arrested 62 foreign nationals from 25 countries between 2024 and the first quarter of 2025. These individuals, wanted by their home countries in Europe, the Americas, Asia, and Africa, were attempting to seek refuge in Morocco. They were involved in serious crimes including terrorism, murder, cybercrime, child sexual abuse, money laundering, and drug trafficking, often using forged identity documents and passports.
The Director General also highlighted the evolution of certain criminal patterns, including the transformation of illegal migration into acts of maritime piracy. He referred to the 2023 seizure of a ship between Tantan and the Canary Islands, and the exploitation of air travel between Morocco and Turkey to attempt illegal migration through European stopovers.
Regarding terrorism, Hammouchi spoke of the thwarted attempt to establish a Daesh affiliate in early 2025, under the name “Islamic State in the Far West,” which aimed to expand operations into North Africa and Europe. He warned that groups like Al-Qaeda and Daesh, despite suffering setbacks such as the neutralization of Daesh’s second-in-command Abdullah al-Rifai, still have the capacity to regroup near Morocco.
Hammouchi also denounced extremist groups’ exploitation of Middle Eastern tensions to spread calls for violence, including against Morocco. He mentioned the Khorasan branch of Daesh, which is actively recruiting European immigrants, and the continued detention of 200 Moroccan fighters by the Syrian Democratic Forces. He further disclosed that 123 Moroccans had joined terrorist groups in the Sahel and West Africa, and that 40 affiliated cells were dismantled inside Morocco.
On the sidelines of this strategic forum, Hammouchi held bilateral meetings with several heads of intelligence and security services, including Russia’s FSB. These talks focused on shared concerns and ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation against emerging threats. The summit, praised by President Vladimir Putin for its inclusive approach, underscored the need for a fairer global security order capable of ensuring international peace and stability.