Morocco detains Frenchman wanted in US over cybercrime: police source

Morocco has detained a 21-year-old French national wanted by the United States for alleged involvement in cybercrime, a police source in the kingdom told AFP on Friday, confirming media reports.

Sebastien Raoult was taken in for questioning on May 31 at the Rabat-Sale airport in relation to an Interpol red notice over a cyber-piracy case, the Moroccan police source said, declining to be identified and providing no further details.

Interpol red notices ask member countries to provisionally detain people pending possible extradition or other legal action.

Raoult’s detention was the result of “cooperation” between the kingdom’s DGSN security service and the FBI, Moroccan media reported, citing a police source.

Lawyer Philippe Ohayon, who is requesting Raoult be extradited to France rather than the United States, told AFP his client had “only been in France and Morocco”.

The Moroccan prosecutor’s office did not respond to a request for comment.

Raoult, a computer science student, has been held near Rabat since early June, according to Moroccan and French media.

French magazine L’Obs reported that the FBI suspects Raoult of belonging to the ShinyHunters hacking group, which has allegedly targeted US companies including Microsoft.

The report said US authorities were seeking Raoult’s extradition over accusations including electronic fraud and identity theft.

Raoult could face more than 100 years in prison in the United States over the charges, according to L’Obs.

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