Tailored for threat: Morocco's multidimensional response to terrorism

Abstract

This article examines Morocco's distinctive counterterrorism strategy and explains why the country has experienced comparatively low levels of terrorist violence relative to many states in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Following the 2003 Casablanca bombings, Moroccan authorities implemented a multidimensional approach combining legal reforms, socioeconomic initiatives, and the institutional restructuring of the religious sphere. Central to this strategy is the Moroccan monarchy's dual political and religious authority as Amir al-Mu'minin (Commander of the Faithful), which enables the state to regulate religious institutions and shape theological discourse through centralized mechanisms. Institutions such as the Rabita Mohammedia of the Ulama and the Mohammed VI Institute for the Training of Imams and Morchidates promote a national Islamic framework grounded in Maliki jurisprudence, Ash'ari theology, and Sufi tradition. Using a qualitative single-case study based on policy documents, secondary literature, and elite interviews, the article argues that Morocco's integration of religious governance, development policy, and security measures has helped limit the emergence of sustained extremist networks.