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David Cameron Pledges a ‘Full Spectrum’ Response to Tunisia Attack David Cameron Pledges a ‘Full Spectrum’ Response to Tunisia Attack
(about 1 hour later)
LONDON — Shocked by the worst terrorist attack on Britons in a decade, Prime Minister David Cameron on Monday promised a “full spectrum” response to the assault that is feared to have killed at least 30 British tourists in Tunisia. LONDON — Shocked by the deadliest terrorist attack on Britons in a decade, Prime Minister David Cameron promised a “full spectrum” response on Monday to the assault, which killed 39 tourists at a resort in Sousse, Tunisia, on Friday. At least 18 of the victims, and possibly as many as 30, were British.
Mr. Cameron dispatched security officials and ministers to the resort in Sousse, Tunisia, where 18 Britons have been confirmed among the victims, and promised to step up the fight against extremism in Britain. Mr. Cameron sent security officials and government ministers to the scene and promised to step up the fight against extremism in Britain. Theresa May, the home secretary, and Tobias Ellwood, a Foreign Office minister, went on Monday to Tunisia, where British officials are working with the local authorities to assess security at beach resorts frequented by European tourists.
On Monday, Theresa May, the home secretary, and a Foreign Office minister, Tobias Ellwood, visited Tunisia, where British officials are working with the local authorities to assess security at the type of beach resorts where 39 people died on Friday. In concrete policy terms, however, Mr. Cameron’s reaction was cautious, and he did not promise any immediate new antiterrorism measures at home or any increase in Britain’s military involvement in fighting Islamic State militants.
The police in Tunisia are investigating whether the gunman, identified as Seifeddine Rezgui, received assistance from other people. Mr. Rezgui was killed at the scene. The authorities in Tunisia said on Monday that they had arrested a group of suspects associated with Mr. Rezgui, Reuters reported, but provided no additional information about how many people had been detained or what charges they faced. A gunman, identified as Seifeddine Rezgui, was killed at the scene on Friday, but witnesses say that more than one person was involved in the attack. The Tunisian interior minister, Najem Gharsalli, said on Monday that security forces had arrested several people but gave no specifics about their number or the charges against them. Local news accounts suggest that Mr. Rezgui may have had as many as 10 accomplices.
Dozens of British officials have been assigned to the security of consular operations in Tunisia, including 16 senior detectives, forensic specialists and family liaison officers. The overall police operation, including those working in Britain, involves “over 600 officers and staff,” the Metropolitan Police in London said in a statement. Britain is tightening security for its consular operations and has sent 16 senior detectives, forensic specialists and family liaison officers to Tunisia. London’s Metropolitan Police Service said in a statement that “over 600 officers and staff” were at work in Tunisia and Britain concerning the attack and its repercussions.
In concrete policy terms, however, Mr. Cameron’s reaction was cautious, and he promised neither immediate new antiterror measures at home nor an increase in Britain’s military contribution to the battle against Islamic State militants. Beyond those practical steps, Mr. Cameron cast his response in terms of a battle of ideas. He called militant Islamist ideology “an existential threat” to the West and said Britain was confronting “the struggle of our generation.”
Mr. Cameron cast part of his response in terms of a battle of ideas, arguing that the ideology espoused by Islamic militants posed “an existential threat” to the West in general, and adding that Britain was a “target” and was confronting “the struggle of our generation.” “It’s a battle of our values and our narrative against their values and their narrative,” he told the BBC, comparing the conflict to the Cold War.
Speaking to the BBC, he compared the situation to the conflict waged against Communism before the fall of the Berlin Wall. “It’s a battle of our values and our narrative against their values and their narrative,” he said. “We have to get that right as well as the military end of things.” “We have to deal with this appalling radical narrative that’s taking over the minds of young people in our country,” Mr. Cameron said. “We have to get that right, as well as the military end of things.”
“We have to deal with this appalling radical narrative that’s taking over the minds of young people in our country,” Mr. Cameron added. The assault at the resort in Sousse was the deadliest terrorist attack involving Britons since July 7, 2005, when 52 commuters in London were killed by four suicide bombers.
The attack in Sousse was the deadliest single terrorist assault involving Britons since 52 commuters and four suicide bombers were killed in attacks on London in July 7, 2005. About a dozen of the victims in Tunisia who are thought to be British had yet to be identified as of Monday morning. Mr. Cameron’s office said that because the victims had been at a resort hotel’s private beach, many of them had not been carrying identification.
Britain has been grappling with complex logistical problems, including the grim task of identifying the dead in Tunisia. Four Britons who were wounded in the attack were scheduled to be flown home on a British military plane Monday, while others returned on separate flights. Mr. Cameron’s office said they would all be back in Britain within 24 hours.
Around a dozen victims who are believed to be British have yet to be identified, and Mr. Cameron’s office said on Monday that the process had been complicated by the fact that many of those killed were not carrying identification while they were at the beach. The attack has prompted hundreds of other British tourists to cut short their vacations in Tunisia. The Foreign Office advised visitors, “Further terrorist attacks in Tunisia, including in tourist resorts, are possible, including by individuals who are unknown to the authorities and whose actions are inspired by terrorist groups via social media.”
A British military plane was to bring back four wounded Britons, with others returning on separate flights, and all were expected to be repatriated within 24 hours, Mr. Cameron’s office said. As the authorities assessed the situation in Tunisia, officials acknowledged that Britons might be vulnerable in several other countries as well. The government’s national threat level is “severe,” meaning that a terrorist attack is considered highly likely.
The attack has prompted hundreds of tourists to cut short their vacations in Tunisia and to return home. The Foreign Office advised visitors that “further terrorist attacks in Tunisia, including in tourist resorts, are possible, including by individuals who are unknown to the authorities and whose actions are inspired by terrorist groups via social media.”
As the authorities reassessed the situation in Tunisia, officials conceded that Britons were vulnerable in several other countries. In Britain itself, the current national threat level is “severe,” meaning that a terrorist attack is judged as highly likely.