Imlil's main suspects radicalized in less than a week, says Morocco's ambassador to Norway

The four main suspects behind the Imlil murders were radicalized so quickly that the Moroccan intelligence services could not intercept the terrorist attack, Morocco’s ambassador to Norway Lamia Radi told Norway public channel NRK.

Quoted by Danish government-owned TV station TV2 Nyheder, the Moroccan ambassador stated that the four men who appeared in a video pledging allegiance to ISIS were «brainwashed in less than a week and were used as a bomb».

The same source indicated that the investigation carried by the Moroccan authorities is looking into the links the arrested suspects might have in other countries.

«This is a different kind of terror attack (…) they radicalized people who were not radicalized just a few years ago», added the diplomat.

Morocco is currently investigating whether the arrested suspects have fought for the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria before.

For the record, the bodies of Danish backpacker Louise Vesterager Jespersen and her Norwegian friend Maren Ueland were found on December the 17th, 2018, near Imlil. Following the tragedy, the Central Bureau for Judicial Investigation (BCIJ) arrested the four main suspects who were inspired by the terrorist organization.

Morocco arrested 15 other people linked to the murders, including a Swiss-Spanish national living in Morocco who has alleged direct links with ISIS.