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Interview with Morocco's new anti-terrorist chief

Rabat (Morocco), March 19 (EFE) .- (Camera: Mohamed Siali) Morocco estimates that 1,137 citizens, including jihadists and their families, are still detained in camps in northern Syria, while the last organized return of eight of them dates back two years, the new anti-terrorist chief Habboub Cherkaoui said in an interview with Efe.FOOTAGE AND SOUNDBITES OF CHERKAOUI HABBOUB, DIRECTOR OF BCIJ:"1,654 Moroccans travelled to Syria and Iraq to fight in jihadist groups, 1,060 of them belonged to the so-called Islamic State, 100 to the Harakat Sham al Islam movement. Of these people, 225 have a criminal record in Morocco for terrorism. 745 of them died in the Syrian-Iraqi area in combat or suicide bombings. Of the 270 who have returned to Morocco, we have investigated and referred 137 to Justice and the rest have been investigated by other security services. As for the 288 women who travelled to that area, 99 have returned to Morocco, and 82 of 291 minors, have also returned."