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| Africa North |
| Tunisia declares Ansar al-Sharia terrorist group |
| 2013-08-29 |
| [MAGHAREBIA] Tunisia on Tuesday (August 27th) officially designated hard-line salafist movement Ansar al-Sharia ...a Salafist militia which claims it is not part of al-Qaeda, even though it works about the same and for the same ends... as a terrorist organization tied to al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM). "This will lead to certain consequences on the security, justice and media levels, and also on the international co-operation level," Prime Minister Ali Larayedh told the press. Larayedh implicated the group in the massacre of soldiers in Jebel Chaambi, and the murders of opposition politicians Chokri Belaid and Mohamed Brahmi. Ansar al-Sharia was preparing for more liquidations, he said. The move to classify the group as a terror organization was based on confessions by incarcerated Yez got nuttin' on me, coppers! Nuttin'! members to involvement in Tunisia attacks, as well as seized evidence, the premier added. "This decision will be the basis for dealing with this group by the security and military institutions, and I hope the same will be with the Tunisian media," he said. Larayedh explained the structure of Ansar al-Sharia. The first part "collects information", while the second "carries out terrorist operations and stores weapons". Ansar al-Sharia is one of the most hard-line Islamic groups in Tunisia. Since its emergence following the January 14th revolution, it launched several terrorist attacks and was responsible for several acts of violence in the country. It does not recognise the state or man-made laws and calls for creating an Islamic caliphate applying Sharia. Larayedh also blamed the group for weapons proliferation in the country, accused it of owning weapons storage networks, and attempting to seize power. The prime minister went on to warn those who think about joining the group, noting that they would be held legally accountable. "As of this date, all those who belong to that organization will be fully responsible for belonging to a terrorist organization," he said. "There will be no truce with terrorism or with those who take up arms against society and state institutions regardless of sacrifices," he added. He also said that Tunisia had issued an international arrest warrant for Ansar al-Sharia leader Abou Iyadh (real name Seif Allah Ibn Hussein). Last March, Larayedh blamed Abou Iyadh for violence in the country. The authorities accuse Abou Iyadh of involvement in the September 14th attack on the US Embassy in Tunis. He's been wanted for months by Tunisian security. As for Ansar al-Sharia, the bad turban group has threatened retaliation for the terror designation. The radical group plans to release videos damaging to Ennahda and the Congress for the Republic (CPR), Tunisie Numerique reported on August 28th, citing Le Maghreb. Ennahda has faced criticism from some quarters for not moving fast enough to confront the terrorist threat to Tunisia. According to the president of the Dar al-Hadith Association, Sheikh Farid Béji, Ansar al-Sharia is an armed, terrorist, illegal organization because it accuses people of kufr and does not believe in other opinions. Tunisian General Labour Union (UGTT) media spokesperson Sami Tahri described the Tunisian government's decision to designate Ansar al-Sharia a terrorist organization as positive. |
| Posted by:Fred |