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| Tunisia attack: Cameron says UK must prepare for high death toll | Tunisia attack: Cameron says UK must prepare for high death toll |
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| The UK public needs to be prepared for the fact that many of those killed in the attack by an Islamic State extremist at a Tunisian beach resort were British, David Cameron has said. | The UK public needs to be prepared for the fact that many of those killed in the attack by an Islamic State extremist at a Tunisian beach resort were British, David Cameron has said. |
| The prime minister’s warning on Saturday, which echoed earlier comments made by his Tunisian counterpart, Habib Essid, came as the UK death toll had risen to eight out of 39 people killed in the popular holiday resort, close to the town of Sousse. | The prime minister’s warning on Saturday, which echoed earlier comments made by his Tunisian counterpart, Habib Essid, came as the UK death toll had risen to eight out of 39 people killed in the popular holiday resort, close to the town of Sousse. |
| Confirmation of the number of Britons killed came on Saturday from the Tunisian Ministry of Health, which also confirmed a Belgian and a German were among the victims. | Confirmation of the number of Britons killed came on Saturday from the Tunisian Ministry of Health, which also confirmed a Belgian and a German were among the victims. |
| Planes evacuating holidaymakers began arriving back in the UK on Saturday morning. Speaking in Downing Street, Cameron said a full deployment team of consular staff, police and experts from the Red Cross would arrive in Tunisia on Saturday to help the victims and their families and added that the government was doing all they could to help them. | Planes evacuating holidaymakers began arriving back in the UK on Saturday morning. Speaking in Downing Street, Cameron said a full deployment team of consular staff, police and experts from the Red Cross would arrive in Tunisia on Saturday to help the victims and their families and added that the government was doing all they could to help them. |
| The PM, who will chair a meeting of the British government’s Cobra emergency committee on Saturday, said: “These savage terrorist attacks in Tunisia, Kuwait and France are a brutal and tragic reminder of the threat faced around the world from these evil terrorists.” | The PM, who will chair a meeting of the British government’s Cobra emergency committee on Saturday, said: “These savage terrorist attacks in Tunisia, Kuwait and France are a brutal and tragic reminder of the threat faced around the world from these evil terrorists.” |
| The Tunisian prime minister on Saturday called for all citizens to work together to defeat terrorism as thousands of tourists prepared to leave the North African country in wake of its worst terrorist attack ever.Tourists crowded into the airport at Hammamet near the coastal city of Sousse where a young man dressed in shorts on Friday pulled an assault rifle out of his beach umbrella and killed 39 people, mostly tourists. | |
| “The fight against terrorism is a national responsibility,” Essid said at a press conference in Tunis on Saturday morning. “We are at war against terrorism which represents a serious danger to national unity during this delicate period that the nation is going through.” | |
| He announced a range of tough measures to fight extremism, including examining the funding of organisations suspected of promoting radicalism, closing around 80 mosques outside government control and declaring certain mountainous zones military areas. | |
| Essid identified the shooter, who was killed by police after the attack, as Seifeddine Rezgui, a young student at Kairouan University from the town of Gaafour in the governorate of Siliana. The Site Intelligence Group reported that Isis had claimed responsibility for Friday’s attack, on its Twitter account, referring to the gunman by his jihadi pseudonym Abu Yahya al-Qayrawani. Isis Twitter accounts have published a photograph purporting to be Rezgui posing between two Kalashnikovs and smiling. | |
| Meanwhile, more survivors’ stories and details of the victims began to emerge. The British tourist Tom Richards, who faced the gunman in a hotel corridor, described him as being in his early 20s with long black hair and a beard. Richards, who was there with his mother, escaped when the gunman inexplicably stopped firing. | Meanwhile, more survivors’ stories and details of the victims began to emerge. The British tourist Tom Richards, who faced the gunman in a hotel corridor, described him as being in his early 20s with long black hair and a beard. Richards, who was there with his mother, escaped when the gunman inexplicably stopped firing. |
| Related: Tunisia attack: 'He looked right at me – I thought I was dead,' says tourist | Related: Tunisia attack: 'He looked right at me – I thought I was dead,' says tourist |
| Matthew James survived being shot three times when he used his body to shield his fiancée, Saera Wilson, during the shooting. One of those killed has been named as Lorna Carty, a nurse and mother of two from County Meath in Ireland. She had been in the resort with her husband, Declan, who had recently undergone heart surgery. It is understood the couple were given the holiday as a present from a family member to help with his recuperation. | Matthew James survived being shot three times when he used his body to shield his fiancée, Saera Wilson, during the shooting. One of those killed has been named as Lorna Carty, a nurse and mother of two from County Meath in Ireland. She had been in the resort with her husband, Declan, who had recently undergone heart surgery. It is understood the couple were given the holiday as a present from a family member to help with his recuperation. |
| The slaughter took place on the beach between the Soviva and Imperial Marhaba hotels in the town of Sousse, a popular destination for tourists from the UK and Ireland. It was one of three deadly attacks on Friday, from Europe to North Africa and the Middle East, and followed a call to violence by Isis extremists. | The slaughter took place on the beach between the Soviva and Imperial Marhaba hotels in the town of Sousse, a popular destination for tourists from the UK and Ireland. It was one of three deadly attacks on Friday, from Europe to North Africa and the Middle East, and followed a call to violence by Isis extremists. |
| A suicide bombing at a Shia mosque in Kuwait killed 27 worshippers and wounded a further 220 in an attack that was later claimed by Isis. Several people were arrested on Saturday. It was the first such attack in the mostly quiet and relatively secure Gulf Arab nation in more than two decades. | A suicide bombing at a Shia mosque in Kuwait killed 27 worshippers and wounded a further 220 in an attack that was later claimed by Isis. Several people were arrested on Saturday. It was the first such attack in the mostly quiet and relatively secure Gulf Arab nation in more than two decades. |
| Related: Tunisia attack: British man has surgery after shielding fiancee from gunman | Related: Tunisia attack: British man has surgery after shielding fiancee from gunman |
| In France, a man was detained near Lyon after the severed head of his former employer was found hung from the gates of a gas factory which he seemingly tried to blow up by ramming it with a car. Two people were injured in the attack. Police said they also found a flag with Islamist inscriptions. | In France, a man was detained near Lyon after the severed head of his former employer was found hung from the gates of a gas factory which he seemingly tried to blow up by ramming it with a car. Two people were injured in the attack. Police said they also found a flag with Islamist inscriptions. |
| The suspect, Yassine Salhi, who was known to intelligence services, was seized by an alert firefighter, authorities said. President François Hollande said the attacker’s intention had been to cause an explosion.A security alert for south-east France was raised to its highest level for the next three days, and the US embassy in Paris warned its citizens to be vigilant. | The suspect, Yassine Salhi, who was known to intelligence services, was seized by an alert firefighter, authorities said. President François Hollande said the attacker’s intention had been to cause an explosion.A security alert for south-east France was raised to its highest level for the next three days, and the US embassy in Paris warned its citizens to be vigilant. |
| It remains unclear if the attacks are linked but they came days after Isis militants urged their followers “to make Ramadan a month of calamities for the non-believers”. In all, the assailants killed at least 65 people. | It remains unclear if the attacks are linked but they came days after Isis militants urged their followers “to make Ramadan a month of calamities for the non-believers”. In all, the assailants killed at least 65 people. |
| In an audio recording released on Tuesday, Isis called on its supporters to increase attacks during Ramadan and “be keen on waging invasion in this eminent month and commit martyrdom”. | In an audio recording released on Tuesday, Isis called on its supporters to increase attacks during Ramadan and “be keen on waging invasion in this eminent month and commit martyrdom”. |
| The attack in Tunisia was the country’s worst ever and follows a massacre on 18 March at the national Bardo museum in Tunis that killed 22 people, again mostly tourists, and has called into question the newly elected government’s ability to protect the country. | The attack in Tunisia was the country’s worst ever and follows a massacre on 18 March at the national Bardo museum in Tunis that killed 22 people, again mostly tourists, and has called into question the newly elected government’s ability to protect the country. |
| In the wake of the attacks, Cameron said there would be “heightened security” as events are held across the UK to mark Armed Forces Day, amid fears of a similar attack on home soil. | In the wake of the attacks, Cameron said there would be “heightened security” as events are held across the UK to mark Armed Forces Day, amid fears of a similar attack on home soil. |
| The carnage in Tunisia began on the beach, where tourists described hearing what sounded like fireworks and then ran for cover when they realised it was gunfire. Video of the aftermath showed medics using beach chairs as stretchers to carry away people in swimsuits. | The carnage in Tunisia began on the beach, where tourists described hearing what sounded like fireworks and then ran for cover when they realised it was gunfire. Video of the aftermath showed medics using beach chairs as stretchers to carry away people in swimsuits. |
| Chelli said of the gunman: “He had a parasol in his hand. He went down to put it in the sand and then he took out his Kalashnikov and began shooting wildly.” He then entered the pool area of the Imperial Marhaba hotel before moving inside, killing people as he went. | Chelli said of the gunman: “He had a parasol in his hand. He went down to put it in the sand and then he took out his Kalashnikov and began shooting wildly.” He then entered the pool area of the Imperial Marhaba hotel before moving inside, killing people as he went. |
| The British tourist Gary Pine told AP he was on the beach with his wife around midday when heard the shooting. They shouted for their son to get out of the water, grabbed their bag and ran for the hotel. Their son told them he saw someone shot on the beach. | The British tourist Gary Pine told AP he was on the beach with his wife around midday when heard the shooting. They shouted for their son to get out of the water, grabbed their bag and ran for the hotel. Their son told them he saw someone shot on the beach. |
| Related: Police tighten Wimbledon security after terrorist attacks | Related: Police tighten Wimbledon security after terrorist attacks |
| There was sheer panic at the hotel, Pine said. “There were a lot of concerned people, a few people in tears with panic and a few people – older guests – they’d turned their ankles or there was a few little minor injuries and nicks and scrapes.” | There was sheer panic at the hotel, Pine said. “There were a lot of concerned people, a few people in tears with panic and a few people – older guests – they’d turned their ankles or there was a few little minor injuries and nicks and scrapes.” |
| Elizabeth O’Brien, an Irish tourist who was with her two sons, told Irish Radio she was on the beach when the shooting began. “I thought, ‘Oh my God. It sounds like gunfire,’ so I just ran to the sea, to my children and grabbed our things” before fleeing to their hotel room, she said. | Elizabeth O’Brien, an Irish tourist who was with her two sons, told Irish Radio she was on the beach when the shooting began. “I thought, ‘Oh my God. It sounds like gunfire,’ so I just ran to the sea, to my children and grabbed our things” before fleeing to their hotel room, she said. |
| Since overthrowing its secular dictator in 2011, Tunisia has been plagued by terrorist attacks, although only recently have they targeted the tourism sector, which makes up nearly 15% of GDP. | Since overthrowing its secular dictator in 2011, Tunisia has been plagued by terrorist attacks, although only recently have they targeted the tourism sector, which makes up nearly 15% of GDP. |
| Simon Calder, a London-based travel commentator, said: “The Foreign Office will declare the summer effectively over for Tunisia, and it will destroy – besides the lives taken – the tens of thousands of livelihoods who depend on tourism for a living.” Nearly half a million Britons visited Tunisia in 2014. | Simon Calder, a London-based travel commentator, said: “The Foreign Office will declare the summer effectively over for Tunisia, and it will destroy – besides the lives taken – the tens of thousands of livelihoods who depend on tourism for a living.” Nearly half a million Britons visited Tunisia in 2014. |
| Jonathan Hill, a professor of defence studies at King’s College London, said the attacks were a blow to Tunisia’s image as a stable, democratic nation emerging from its revolution in 2011. “The terrorists are attacking Tunisia’s reputation,” he said. “Not just as a safe and welcoming destination for western holidaymakers, but as the one real success story to emerge out of the Arab Spring.” | Jonathan Hill, a professor of defence studies at King’s College London, said the attacks were a blow to Tunisia’s image as a stable, democratic nation emerging from its revolution in 2011. “The terrorists are attacking Tunisia’s reputation,” he said. “Not just as a safe and welcoming destination for western holidaymakers, but as the one real success story to emerge out of the Arab Spring.” |
| Interpol offered investigative help in the wake of Friday’s violence. Its secretary general, Juergen Stock, said the attacks “show the truly global dimension to current terrorist threats”. | Interpol offered investigative help in the wake of Friday’s violence. Its secretary general, Juergen Stock, said the attacks “show the truly global dimension to current terrorist threats”. |