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| Tunisia attack: Foreign Office says 15 Britons killed and death toll may rise | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Fifteen Britons have died in the Tunisian beach massacre but the toll could rise further, the Foreign Office has said, in what it called “the most significant terrorist attack on the British people” since 7 July 2005. | |
| The number of British holidaymakers confirmed to have been killed by the lone gunman on Friday rose steadily on Saturday. | |
| The prime minister, David Cameron, warned earlier that the UK public needed to be prepared for the total to rise. | |
| A total of 39 people were killed, including one Irish woman, with one Belgian and a German also 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.” |
| 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. | 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. |
| “There’s no doubt we face a very severe threat in our country and we have done for many months and many years, but the level of the threat is identified independently of government and published in the proper way,” he said. | “There’s no doubt we face a very severe threat in our country and we have done for many months and many years, but the level of the threat is identified independently of government and published in the proper way,” he said. |
| The UK’s terror threat level remains at “severe”, the second-highest level meaning an attack is highly likely. | The UK’s terror threat level remains at “severe”, the second-highest level meaning an attack is highly likely. |
| Mark Rowley, Metropolitan Police assistant commissioner and national policing lead for counter-terrorism, said it was “fairly clear” that the location of the Tunisian attack was chosen because of the number of westerners present. | Mark Rowley, Metropolitan Police assistant commissioner and national policing lead for counter-terrorism, said it was “fairly clear” that the location of the Tunisian attack was chosen because of the number of westerners present. |
| A large number of officers had been sent to the resort, to gather evidence and help the Tunisian authorities, he said. | A large number of officers had been sent to the resort, to gather evidence and help the Tunisian authorities, he said. |
| 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 the wake of its worst terrorist attack. | 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 the wake of its worst terrorist attack. |
| 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. | 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 on Saturday. “We are at war against terrorism which represents a serious danger to national unity during this delicate period that the nation is going through.” | “The fight against terrorism is a national responsibility,” Essid said on Saturday. “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 about 80 mosques outside government control and declaring certain mountainous zones military areas. | He announced a range of tough measures to fight extremism, including examining the funding of organisations suspected of promoting radicalism, closing about 80 mosques outside government control and declaring certain mountainous zones military areas. |
| Essid identified the gunman, 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. | Essid identified the gunman, 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. | 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. | Matthew James survived being shot three times when he used his body to shield his fiancée, Saera Wilson, during the shooting. |
| Ross Thompson and Rebecca Smith, from Coventry, were recovering after receiving shrapnel injuries. “We managed to get the room barricaded, got down low and just hid,” Thompson said. | Ross Thompson and Rebecca Smith, from Coventry, were recovering after receiving shrapnel injuries. “We managed to get the room barricaded, got down low and just hid,” Thompson said. |
| Smith said she became separated from Thompson and hid in toilets with another woman and her son: “We locked ourselves in and hoped for the best.” | Smith said she became separated from Thompson and hid in toilets with another woman and her son: “We locked ourselves in and hoped for the best.” |
| Dave Beardsmore, from Manchester, told Sky News: “We ran for our lives. I heard bullets going over the top of my head; I just kept on running and we went to our room.” | Dave Beardsmore, from Manchester, told Sky News: “We ran for our lives. I heard bullets going over the top of my head; I just kept on running and we went to our room.” |
| Tony Callaghan, who works for Norfolk police at North Walsham, and his wife were injured in the attacks. They both needed hospital treatment but their injuries were not life-threatening. | Tony Callaghan, who works for Norfolk police at North Walsham, and his wife were injured in the attacks. They both needed hospital treatment but their injuries were not life-threatening. |
| 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. | 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 killings 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. | The killings 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. |
| They came on the same day that | They came on the same day that |
| 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. | 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. |
| Related: Tunisia attack: British man has surgery after shielding fiancee from gunman | Related: Tunisia attack: British man has surgery after shielding fiancee from gunman |
| The attack in Tunisia was the country’s worst 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 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 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, 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, 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.” |