This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/20/world/africa/no-links-seen-between-terrorists-and-gunmen-in-tunisia-museum-attack-premier-says.html

The article has changed 11 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Tunisia Has Found No Terrorist Links to Gunmen in Museum Attack Tunisia Announces Arrests Tied to Museum Attack
(about 1 hour later)
CAIRO — Neither of the two gunmen killed in the deadly attack on a museum in Tunis on Wednesday has been linked to any known terrorist group, although one of the men had previously caught the attention of the Tunisian intelligence services, Prime Minister Habib Essid said on Thursday. CAIRO — Tunisian authorities arrested several people suspected of helping the two gunmen killed in a deadly attack on a museum in Tunis, officials said on Thursday, adding that neither of the gunmen had been linked to any known terrorist group.
Officials have identified the gunmen, who killed at least 20 people in a midday attack on the National Bardo Museum, as Yassine Laabidi and Hatem Khachnaoui. The authorities did not reveal how many suspected accomplices had been arrested, but news reports put the number at four. Also on Thursday, the army deployed troops to secure the country’s major cities.
Mr. Essid said that the Tunisian authorities were working with other governments to learn more about the backgrounds and motives of the two gunmen. Security forces are searching for other accomplices in the attack, officials said. Officials have identified the gunmen, who killed at least 20 people in a midday attack on Wednesday at the National Bardo Museum, as Yassine Laabidi and Hatem Khachnaoui.
Mr. Laabidi had already been identified by the Tunisian intelligence agencies, but not for “anything special,” Mr. Essid said in an interview with the French radio station RTL, The Associated Press reported. Prime Minister Habib Essid said in an interview with RTL, a French radio network, that Mr. Laabidi had previously caught the attention of Tunisian intelligence agencies, but not for “anything special.” He said that the Tunisian authorities were working with other governments to learn more about the backgrounds and motives of the gunmen.
Two Spanish tourists who hid inside the museum to escape the attackers were discovered there Thursday morning, according to news reports citing the Spanish Foreign Ministry. Tunisian health officials said on Thursday that at least one person who was wounded in the attack died overnight, raising the overall toll to at least 20, not including the two assailants. Two Spanish tourists who hid inside the museum to escape the attackers were discovered there Thursday morning, according to news reports citing the Spanish Foreign Ministry. Tunisian health officials said on Thursday that at least one person who was wounded in the attack died overnight, raising the death toll to at least 20, not including the two assailants.
Tunisia, the lone success of the Arab Spring, is seeking to consolidate its transition to democracy after the uprising four years ago that removed the longtime strongman Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali.Tunisia, the lone success of the Arab Spring, is seeking to consolidate its transition to democracy after the uprising four years ago that removed the longtime strongman Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali.
The government has struggled to defeat Islamist militant groups in the country, based mainly in the area around Mount Chaambi near the Algerian border. The country’s economic difficulties and turbid politics after decades of repression have helped make it a leading source of foreign fighters joining the Islamic State, also known as ISIS or ISIL, in its battles in Syria and Iraq. The government has struggled to defeat Islamist militant groups, based mainly in the area around Mount Chaambi near the Algerian border. The country’s economic difficulties and turbid politics after decades of repression have helped make it a leading source of foreign fighters joining the Islamic State, also known as ISIS or ISIL, in its battles in Syria and Iraq.
Supporters of the Islamic State celebrated the attack in Tunis, and circulated a video first posted online in December that warned in general terms of violence to come. In the video, a prominent Tunisian militant, Boubakr Hakim, a Tunisian militant known as Abu Moqatel, is seen claiming responsibility for the assassination of two left-leaning politicians and urging his countrymen to take up arms for the Islamic State. Supporters of the Islamic State celebrated the attack in Tunis, and circulated a video first posted online in December that warned in general terms of violence to come. In the video, a prominent Tunisian militant, Boubakr Hakim, known as Abu Moqatel, is seen claiming responsibility for the assassination of two left-leaning politicians and urging his countrymen to take up arms for the Islamic State.
“You will not live in safety as long as Tunisia is not ruled by Islam,” he says, taunting other Tunisians for failing to join his fight. “Women are more courageous than you are.”“You will not live in safety as long as Tunisia is not ruled by Islam,” he says, taunting other Tunisians for failing to join his fight. “Women are more courageous than you are.”
On Wednesday night, a Tunisian militant group calling itself the Uqba ibn Nafi Battalion posted a more detailed message on the Internet, praising the attack and including details about it that contradicted reports from the Tunisian authorities.On Wednesday night, a Tunisian militant group calling itself the Uqba ibn Nafi Battalion posted a more detailed message on the Internet, praising the attack and including details about it that contradicted reports from the Tunisian authorities.
The video named the attackers, but it identified them as Yassin al-Obeidi and Sabr al-Khachnaoui, according to a translation by the SITE Intelligence Group, which tracks extremist groups.The video named the attackers, but it identified them as Yassin al-Obeidi and Sabr al-Khachnaoui, according to a translation by the SITE Intelligence Group, which tracks extremist groups.
The message also included photographs that appeared to show the bodies of the attackers — young men with assault rifles, each lying in a pool of blood and wearing running shoes and casual clothes. Tunisian officials had said the attackers wore military uniforms.The message also included photographs that appeared to show the bodies of the attackers — young men with assault rifles, each lying in a pool of blood and wearing running shoes and casual clothes. Tunisian officials had said the attackers wore military uniforms.
The video appeared to stop short of claiming responsibility for the attack or of identifying a group behind it. “We will not answer this now, in order to listen to more of your ridiculous analysis and your weeping and crying on television and radio, and to laugh more at the inefficiency of your apostate masters,” it said.The video appeared to stop short of claiming responsibility for the attack or of identifying a group behind it. “We will not answer this now, in order to listen to more of your ridiculous analysis and your weeping and crying on television and radio, and to laugh more at the inefficiency of your apostate masters,” it said.
The video also gave a detailed account of the operation; it was unclear whether the account was based on inside knowledge of the attacks or had merely been gleaned from reports in the Tunisian news media. In citing the details, the message mocked the spokesman for the Tunisian Interior Ministry, Mohamed Ali al-Arawi, by name.The video also gave a detailed account of the operation; it was unclear whether the account was based on inside knowledge of the attacks or had merely been gleaned from reports in the Tunisian news media. In citing the details, the message mocked the spokesman for the Tunisian Interior Ministry, Mohamed Ali al-Arawi, by name.
“These are details of the operation, O Arawi, O liar, O apostate,” the message said. “Do not search much and lie to the silly ones, your companions, and claim that you are still searching and investigating and want to know what happened.”“These are details of the operation, O Arawi, O liar, O apostate,” the message said. “Do not search much and lie to the silly ones, your companions, and claim that you are still searching and investigating and want to know what happened.”
The message also mocked Ennahda, a party of moderate Islamists who denounced the attack. It reveled in the decline in the Tunisian stock market after the attack, and suggested that sympathizers who were reluctant to combat security forces should consider attacking unarmed tourists, whose spending is crucial to the Tunisian economy.The message also mocked Ennahda, a party of moderate Islamists who denounced the attack. It reveled in the decline in the Tunisian stock market after the attack, and suggested that sympathizers who were reluctant to combat security forces should consider attacking unarmed tourists, whose spending is crucial to the Tunisian economy.
Westerners and Israelis, the group suggested, were ideal targets. “You should hunt them everywhere, especially the French, the Americans, the British and the Israelis,” the message said. “Lure them in roads, lodges, dance clubs and bars. Slaughter them on the beaches, drown them in the sea, poison them on the roads by giving them something poisoned to eat, break their skull with a stone, or suffocate them with a pillow in the room.”Westerners and Israelis, the group suggested, were ideal targets. “You should hunt them everywhere, especially the French, the Americans, the British and the Israelis,” the message said. “Lure them in roads, lodges, dance clubs and bars. Slaughter them on the beaches, drown them in the sea, poison them on the roads by giving them something poisoned to eat, break their skull with a stone, or suffocate them with a pillow in the room.”
Many of the tourists who were visiting the museum at the time of the attack were cruise-ship passengers. Costa Cruises, one of two companies whose ships were docked near Tunis on Wednesday, said Thursday that it will cancel all future stops at Tunisian ports indefinitely, which would deal a substantial blow to Tunisia’s tourism industry.
“The security of guests and crew is the priority for Costa Crociere, and it’s a necessary condition to offer serene and pleasant holidays,” the company said in a statement, using the Italian version of its name. It added that Tunisian ports “will be replaced by alternative stops, which are being defined.”
A spokeswoman for MSC Cruises, the other company that had a ship in Tunis on Wednesday, said it was weighing a similar decision.