Rabat - Morocco World News is pleased to announce it has named Abdelhak Al Khayam, Head of the Central Bureau of Judicial Investigations (BCIJ), Personality of the Year for 2016.

Rabat – Morocco World News is pleased to announce it has named Abdelhak Al Khayam, Head of the Central Bureau of Judicial Investigations (BCIJ), Personality of the Year for 2016.

2016 has inarguably been a tough year, witnessing extremely bloody war and conflict throughout the world. For Morocco, 2016 would likely have been a sad year, had it not been for the efforts of Abdelhak Al Khayame and the forces at his command in successfully combatting terrorism.

Al Khayame, 58, was born and raised in the Casablanca neighborhood of Derb Sultan. He received his professional training at the Royal Institute of Police and worked in several services related to the judiciary. His dedication, loyalty and perseverance made him the natural choice as the right-arm of Younes Jamali, Head of the National Brigade of the Judicial Police (BNPJ). Al Khayame proved to be so successful in this post that in 2004 he was rewarded for the quality of his service by being appointed Jamali’s eventual successor as head of the service, a position he held until 2015.

During his tenure as head of the Central Bureau of Judicial Investigations, dubbed the Moroccan FBI, Al Khayame successfully thwarted numerous terrorist attacks that could have resulted in a catastrophic 2016 for Morocco and Europe. It is thanks to Al Khayame’s proactive and highly vigilant security approach, represented in the official Moroccan counterterrorism strategy, that Morocco has managed to, thus far, remain immune to terrorist attacks and provided the country with one of the world’s most reputable track records in combatting terrorism.

In 2016 alone, the hard work of Al Khayame led to the dismantling of 19 terrorist cells in Morocco, most of them affiliated with the terrorist organization of the Islamic State (ISIS). In the same year, 273 individuals who planned to carry out terrorist attacks in Morocco were arrested and brought to justice before any harm could be done. The effectiveness of the Moroccan counterterrorism strategy, implemented by Al Khayame, garnered attention beyond the nation’s borders where it successfully aborted several terrorist attacks in European countries. The BCIJ’s efforts were instrumental in aborting terrorist plots in Spain, France and Belgium.

Under his stewardship, the BCIJ succeeded in foiling numerous drug trafficking operations, seizing tons of drugs and arresting internationally wanted barons and masterminds of international drug trafficking networks.

The BCIJ’s success in preventing terrorist attacks in in the country, pushed many foreign chancelleries to consider Morocco a safe country for foreign tourists. Last November, the US Department of State ranked Morocco among the world’s safest countries for American travelers.

It’s safe to say that the editorial board of Morocco World News enjoys our fair share of spirited debates. On this question, however, we were unanimous. That Al Khayame would be our 2016 Person of the Year” was never a question.

As a direct result of this man operating in this position, Morocco has earned its ranking as one the safest countries in the world for tourists and investors. That this could occur during a year when bloodshed and terrorism have carved such a bloody trail in so many countries across the world makes our decision virtually effortless.