Night of riots, violence in Tunisia

TUNIS — Tunisia’s government yesterday condemned as “terrorism” a spate of overnight attacks on courts and other state buildings by gangs and vowed to punish them.

The attacks, which led to 90 arrests, raised questions over who masterminded the violence and renewed doubts over whether the government will be able to stamp it out.

Police fired tear gas to quell attacks by protesters who torched and pillaged a local court in west Tunis and attacked several police stations in the north, ministry spokesman Khaled Tarrouche said.

In the northern suburb of La Marsa, rioters tried to force their way into an art gallery where several paintings deemed inappropriate had been slashed a day earlier. Seven of- ficers were slightly injured.

Justice Minister Nourredine Bhiri condemned the “terrorist act” and pledged that the guilty would “pay a heavy price.”

“These are terrorist groups which have lost control, they are isolated in society,” Bhiri told radio Shems FM.

“We arrested 90 people from the Salafist and criminal circles,” said another Interior Ministry spokesman, Lotfi Hidouri.

At the same time, the ruling Ennada party announced that it would move to include in the constitution a provision against blasphemy.

“Religious symbols are above all derision, irony or violation,” said the party, adding that freedom of expression is “not absolute and those who exercise it must respect the beliefs and customs of the people.”

The Salafist movement said it had nothing to do with the overnight violence, and called instead on Tunisians to protest against “infringements against Islam.”

“Ansar Al Charis calls on all Tunisians to demonstrate across the country after Friday prayers to protest against religious infringements,” said Sami Essid, speaking on behalf of the group’s chief.

“We have nothing to do with what happened yesterday in Tunis.”

Some critics have asked if the government has been too lax in dealing with radicals.

Monday night’s events sparked questions on who organised the rioting.

Commentators said

they wondered whether it was a plot to destabilise the country.

“The fact that the violence erupted in several places at the same time makes us think that it was organised,” said Tarrouche.

At Essijoumi in west Tunis, the court prosecutor’s office was burnt down. Other areas in the west of the city, were also hit.

The regional offices of the powerful union UGTT in Tunisia’s northwestern town of Jendouba were torched early yesterday and attackers also set fire to a truck that was transporting alcohol in the town, TAP agency said.

Several people arrested said they “were paid to carry out the acts of destruction,” security sources quoted by TAP said. — AFP