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| Tunis Bardo museum: Nine suspects arrested for links to attack | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Nine people have been arrested in connection with Wednesday's gun attack in Tunis that left 23 people dead, including 20 foreign tourists, the Tunisian presidency says. | |
| It alleged that four were directly linked to the attack and five had "ties to the cell". | |
| The army will also be deployed to major cities, the presidency added. | The army will also be deployed to major cities, the presidency added. |
| One of two gunman involved in the Bardo museum attack, Yassine Laabidi, was reportedly known to the authorities. | One of two gunman involved in the Bardo museum attack, Yassine Laabidi, was reportedly known to the authorities. |
| Laabidi and his accomplice, Hatem Khachnaoui, were killed as security forces stormed the museum. | Laabidi and his accomplice, Hatem Khachnaoui, were killed as security forces stormed the museum. |
| Tourists from Japan, Colombia, the UK and other European countries were killed in the attack and more than 40 people were injured. | Tourists from Japan, Colombia, the UK and other European countries were killed in the attack and more than 40 people were injured. |
| The suspects arrested on Thursday were not identified and no further details of their alleged involvement were given. | |
| However, BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner says an al-Qaeda operative has claimed that the two gunmen had spent two months training with Islamist militants in Derna, eastern Libya, before slipping back into Tunisia. | |
| In a statement, the presidency said Tunisia was facing "exceptional circumstances", adding that "terrorist operations have now moved from the mountains to the cities". | In a statement, the presidency said Tunisia was facing "exceptional circumstances", adding that "terrorist operations have now moved from the mountains to the cities". |
| "After a meeting with the armed forces, the president has decided large cities will be secured by the army," the statement added. | "After a meeting with the armed forces, the president has decided large cities will be secured by the army," the statement added. |
| Stopovers suspended | Stopovers suspended |
| On Thursday, two Spanish tourists and a Tunisian museum worker were found at the museum after having hidden there overnight believing the attack might not have been over, police said. | On Thursday, two Spanish tourists and a Tunisian museum worker were found at the museum after having hidden there overnight believing the attack might not have been over, police said. |
| The attack is a huge blow for Tunisia's tourism industry and its government, which only emerged at the end of a long political transition several months ago, the BBC's Arab affairs editor Sebastian Usher says. | The attack is a huge blow for Tunisia's tourism industry and its government, which only emerged at the end of a long political transition several months ago, the BBC's Arab affairs editor Sebastian Usher says. |
| Two cruise companies - MSC Cruises and Costa Cruises - said they were suspending stopovers in Tunis. | Two cruise companies - MSC Cruises and Costa Cruises - said they were suspending stopovers in Tunis. |
| MSC said in a statement that at least nine of those killed had been passengers on its MSC Splendida cruise ship which was docked in Tunis. It said another 12 of its passengers were injured and six were still unaccounted for. | |
| Earlier, Tunisian Prime Minister Habib Essid told RTL Radio that security services had flagged up Yassine Laabidi but were not aware of "anything specific" or of any links to known militant groups. | Earlier, Tunisian Prime Minister Habib Essid told RTL Radio that security services had flagged up Yassine Laabidi but were not aware of "anything specific" or of any links to known militant groups. |
| Who were the victims? | Who were the victims? |
| According to Tunisian authorities, 23 people were killed - though it is not clear if totals provided by the authorities include the gunmen. Some of the countries involved have given different totals and not all the dead have been identified. The dead include: | According to Tunisian authorities, 23 people were killed - though it is not clear if totals provided by the authorities include the gunmen. Some of the countries involved have given different totals and not all the dead have been identified. The dead include: |
| In a televised address, Tunisia's President Beji Caid Essebsi said the country would not be cowed by terror attacks. | |
| "These monstrous minorities do not frighten us," he said. "We will resist them until the deepest end without mercy." | |
| The gunmen were killed after holding tourists hostage for several hours at the museum which is a major tourist attraction. | |
| At the time of the attack, deputies in the neighbouring parliament building were discussing anti-terrorism legislation. | |
| Sayida Ounissi, an MP, told BBC Radio Four's Today programme that according to the security services the gunmen had originally planned to attack parliament. | |
| A statement released by a jihadist media outlet gave a similar account, saying the gunmen began killing tourists after being repelled by police at the parliament. The statement did not say which group carried out the attack. | |
| Many Tunisians took to the streets of central Tunis on Wednesday to protest against the attack, waving flags and lighting candles outside the museum. | |
| Tunisia's Culture Minister, Latifa Lakhdar, told reporters that the museum would re-open to the public early next week. |