Arrest of officials, politicians in Tunisia raises controversy
Tunisian authorities arrested a number of officials linked to Ennahda, the main opposing party to President Kais Saied, in connection with the deportation of Tunisians to fight in Syria.
TUNIS — On the morning of Sept. 21, Tunisian authorities released the deputy head of Ennahda movement, Ali Laarayedh, after he was detained on Sept. 20 for questioning in the case of deporting Tunisian jihadists to combat zones a decade ago.
Laarayedh served as minister of interior and prime minister in the first post-revolution government from 2011 to 2013. He and Ennahda leader Rached Ghannouchi were summoned by Tunisian police on Sept. 18 for questioning about the thousands of Tunisians who were sent to combat zones during that time, including Syria, where they joined jihadist groups opposing President Bashar al-Assad.
Later on the evening of Sept. 21, Ghannouchi was released and his summons to appear before investigators was postponed until Nov. 28.
Days earlier, Tunisian authorities investigated more than 120 people in the same case, and arrested prominent politicians and former officials, including the former leader of Ennahda movement, Habib el-Louz, former security official Fathi al-Baladi, who is close to Ennahda, and former MP and businessman Mohamed Frikha.
