By : Abdelkader Filali – School of Political Studies – Ecole d’ Etudes Politiques – University Ottawa
Democratic Arab Center
The concept of security has changed over time in Morocco. It is no longer solely something that maintains the collective state security, but it has been modernized in the service of citizens. Hence, the shift has seen the incorporation not only of the survival aspect of the state as a collective entity but also guaranteeing the security of the individuals belonging to its geography. The Moroccan Security Services’ response to the terrorist cells reflected and reinforced the security logic that the human side of the security equation is a necessity. One of the key elements of the Moroccan security strategy- MSS- is making and modernizing its various agencies’ institutions for the service of citizens as the case of the DGST. The DGST stands for the General Directorate for Territorial Surveillance and is the internal intelligence agency of Morocco and the DGSN is the General Directorate of National Security- DGSN-
The Institute of Specialized Training-IST-: modernization in the service of citizens
King Mohammed VI inaugurated last week the Institute of Specialized Training-IST- in the DGST headquarters. IST is a specialized institution for security training, whose primary purpose is to serve the security of the homeland and the citizens. It is a space for all Moroccans and their security. IST’s main objective is to form specialized police officers in the field of intelligence. This structure includes the latest training techniques in the field of criminal investigation within the framework of the law and under the supervision of the competent judicial authorities mainly the Central Bureau for Judicial Investigations- BCIJ. The institute will be able to develop mechanisms of action that improve the methods of dismantling terrorist groups, and thus assess the competencies of its staff to confront the challenges that threaten the security of the homeland and the citizen.
The consolidation of international security cooperation, South – South
The IST is a fully equipped reception and accommodation space dedicated to the citizens of friendly and sisterly countries, especially from African countries, who are invited to benefit from the advanced basic training in the field of intelligence. This is a “consolidation of international security cooperation, South – South.
The objective is to modernize the public security facility and to consolidate the principles of good governance, including the Central Bureau for Judicial Investigation –BCIJ-, which has national territorial jurisdiction, and a qualitative mandate that includes exclusively the crimes and cases set out in Article 108 of the Procedure of Criminal Code , such as terrorism and crimes against State security, , Murder, poisoning, kidnapping and hostage-taking, drug trafficking, psychotropic substances, weapons and ammunition. The Center includes a lecture hall, 11 study halls, a laboratory for foreign languages, a seminar hall and a library, as well as facilities for constituents and administrative frameworks
The Architect: the bold merging
The most prominent title of this strategy is a deep and comprehensive reform of the police system in Morocco through the adoption of a good security governance that bet on adapting the work of the police units to the public demands with the new challenges posed by criminal threats with the necessities and protection of human rights.
General Director Abdellatif Hammouchi of both DGSN and DGST equipped by pragmatic visions improve the workings of the institutions both its comprehensive security and intelligence gathering with compliance with the law and the legal procedures. The necessity to overcome questions that are asked by either the Copenhagen School of Security or Paris School of Security is to encompass a vision that minimize the heavy connotation of threats and institutionalize its legal framework by the establishment of the Central Bureau for Judicial Investigation- BCIJ-. The latter is composed of two main divisions: the Counter-Terrorism Brigade (Brigade de Lutte Contre le Terrorisme-BLCT- and Anti Organized Crime Brigade- Brigade de Lutte Contre la Crimalite Organisee- BLCO-. The intelligence gathering would have a legal umbrella and to be presented in a judicial procedural process complying with the legality requirements.
The merging of both General Directorates of the -DGSN- and – DGST has helped to effectively addressing security issues from a macro level of assessment to institutions in the service of Moroccan citizens. The BCIJ, which functions under the umbrella of the DGST, represents a judicial instrument towards respect of the law and the human rights.
King Mohammed VI’ visit to the DGST confirms that the Directorate is a national institution, which functions with transparency. The Institute will be able to develop mechanisms of action that will confront the growing challenges of the terrorist threat and improve the methods of dismantling terrorist groups and thus improve the competencies of the staff working in the Directorate.The basic objective is the formation of the specialized police in the field of intelligence. This instiutte is equipped with the latest training techniques in the field of criminal investigation, and interrogation within the framework of the law and under the supervision of the competent judicial authorities
