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Disappearance of French National in Rabat: National Security Denies ‘Le Figaro’ Claims and Confirms Ongoing Legal Investigation
The General Directorate of National Security refuted what it described as inaccurate information published by the French newspaper “Le Figaro” regarding the disappearance of a French citizen in the capital, Rabat. The Directorate confirmed that investigations began immediately upon notification and have continued uninterrupted, in accordance with applicable laws.
In a clarifying statement, the Directorate addressed claims in the article that reported a “delay” in investigation procedures and a lack of response from investigators to the family of the missing person, asserting that these allegations do not reflect the true course the case has taken since April 2024.
According to official information, the Rabat Security Department received a report on April 13, 2024, regarding the disappearance of the French citizen from an apartment he was renting in the city. Judicial police and crime scene technicians immediately arrived at the location, where initial examinations showed no signs of forced entry or theft, and the individual’s personal belongings, including electronic devices and a sum of money, were found inside the apartment.
As the investigation progressed, the apartment, as well as the residence of a person who had been with him before his disappearance, underwent meticulous scanning using advanced techniques, including DNA sampling and analysis by the National Laboratory of Scientific and Technical Police. However, these measures, according to the statement, yielded no evidence supporting the hypothesis of a criminal act.
By order of the competent public prosecutor, the investigation was handed over to the National Judicial Police Brigade in Casablanca. Investigators interviewed over sixty individuals close to the missing person, including those who interacted with him or communicated with him by phone. His electronic devices underwent technical examination, which failed to pinpoint his location.
The investigations included tracking his movements within Morocco, particularly to Tetouan and Chefchaouen, where security teams went to those cities and interrogated everyone he met there, yet found no trace of him. Dozens of information requests were sent to telecommunications providers and banking institutions, as well as activating channels of international security cooperation to trace potential financial transactions, all without any new leads or criminal implications.
In direct response to the concerns raised about the security services’ treatment of the family, the Directorate emphasized that the family was received at the regional judicial police headquarters in Rabat on more than five occasions and was updated on the progress of the investigation. They also received their relative’s personal belongings under official documentation and the supervision of the public prosecutor.
The National Brigade responded to notifications received by the father of the missing person concerning alleged sightings in various cities and locations, including Casablanca, Mohammedia, Ifrane, Azrou, Khenifra, Fes, and areas in the High Atlas. Six field teams were formed to visit these locations, including a team that worked for more than three weeks in the High Atlas, where they verified the identities of individuals suspected of being connected to the case, confirming their lack of relation to him.
The statement noted that a national search warrant had been circulated among national security and royal gendarmerie services, encompassing hospitals and psychiatric facilities, particularly given reports indicating the missing individual was suffering from severe psychological disorders. The Directorate, in coordination with the General Directorate for National Territory Surveillance, denied any links to extremist groups, contrary to claims made in the French newspaper.
The General Directorate of National Security concluded its statement by affirming that the investigations are still ongoing, and the last legal action taken in the case occurred on January 20, 2026, reiterating its commitment to keep the public informed within the limits permitted by law in this ongoing case.
