TUNIS: Tunisia’s anti-terrorism judge decided to imprison Ali Laarayedh, a former prime minister and senior official in the Islamist opposition Ennahda party, after hours of investigation into suspicions of sending jihadists to Syria, lawyers said on Monday.
“The investigative judge issued a prison decision against former Prime Minister Ali Laarayedh in what is known as the deportation jihadists file,” lawyer Ines Harrath said.
“This is true,” Mokthat Jmayi, another Laarayedh lawyer, told Reuters, without giving further details
Ennahda denied in a statement accusations of terrorism, calling it a political attack on a foe of President Kais Saied to hide “the catastrophic failure of the elections.”
Only 11.2 percent of Tunisian voters cast ballots in Saturday’s parliamentary elections, Farouk Bouasker, the head of the electoral commission said, after most political parties boycotted the vote as a charade to shore up President Kais Saied’s power.
After the turnout figures were announced, major parties, among them the Salvation Front, which includes Ennahda and its arch-rival, the Free Constitutional Party, said Saied had no legitimacy and should step down, calling for massive protests.
Ennahda, the main opposition party, has accused Saied of an anti-democratic coup since he seized most powers last year, shutting down the parliament and moving to rule by decree, powers he has largely formalized with a new constitution ratified in a July referendum.
Security and official sources estimated that around 6,000 Tunisians traveled to Syria and Iraq last decade, to join jihadist groups including Islamic State. Many were killed there while others escaped and returned to Tunisia.
Tunisia imprisons former Prime Minister Ali Laarayedh
https://arab.news/njeq8
Tunisia imprisons former Prime Minister Ali Laarayedh
- Ennahda denied in a statement accusations of terrorism
Anti-Daesh coalitions issues joint statement after Riyadh meeting
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia hosted a meeting of senior diplomatic and defense officials from the Small Group of the Global Coalition to Defeat Daesh in Riyadh on Monday.
Saudi Vice Foreign Minister Waleed Elkhereiji opened the meeting, which was co-chaired by US Special Envoy for Syria Ambassador Tom Barrack.
Participants expressed their appreciation to the Kingdom for hosting the meeting and for its continued role in supporting regional and international efforts to counter terrorism and promote stability.
Participants welcomed the comprehensive agreement between the Government of Syria and the Syrian Democratic Forces, including the permanent ceasefire and arrangements for the civil and military integration of northeast Syria.
They noted the Government of Syria’s stated intention to assume national leadership of counter-Daesh efforts and expressed appreciation for the sacrifices made by the Syrian Democratic Forces in the fight against Daesh.
Participants also thanked the Government of Iraq for its continued leadership in the Defeat Daesh campaign.
The participants reaffirmed their priorities, including the swift transfer and safeguarding of Daesh detainees, third-country repatriation, the dignified reintegration of families from Al-Hol and Roj camps to their communities of origin, and continued coordination with Damascus and Baghdad on the future of the Defeat Daesh campaign in Syria and Iraq.
Participants welcomed the Syrian government as the 90th member of the D-Daesh Coalition. Coalition members underscored their readiness to work closely with the Syrian government and encouraged members to provide direct support to Syrian and Iraqi efforts.
Coalition defense officials highlighted the close coordination between diplomatic and military lines of effort.
Participants received briefings on the current Defeat Daesh campaign, including ongoing detainee transfer operations.
Officials commended Iraq’s efforts to securely detain Daesh fighters and welcomed Syria’s assumption of responsibility for detention facilities and displacement camps housing Daesh fighters and their family members.
Participants reiterated the need for countries to take responsibility for and repatriate their nationals from Iraq and Syria.
Coalition members thanked Iraq for its leadership and recognized that the transfer of detainees into Iraqi custody is essential to regional security.
They reaffirmed their shared commitment to defeating Daesh in Iraq and Syria and pledged continued support to both governments in securing Daesh-affiliated detainees.
