It added that investigations led to three arms caches near Amghala (220 km from Laayoune).

   The members of the cell, supervised by a Moroccan in al-Qaeda camps in northern Mali, were plotting terrorist acts by using bomb belts and car bombs targeting security services in particular, it said.

   The statement added that the cell also prepared to hold up bank agencies to get funds needed to finance their terrorist schemes.

    Moreover, the network prepared to send volunteers to the AQIM camps in Algeria and Mali for paramilitary training before returning to Morocco to carry out their plans by using the found arms, according to the ministry.

   The ministry said the members of the network will be put on trial at the end of the ongoing investigation.