Tunisia arrests 2 members of terrorism financing network

Tunisian authorities yesterday announced the arrest of two members of a terrorism financing network that had been uncovered earlier, according to a statement issued by the Interior Ministry.

The statement said: “The anti-terrorism unit affiliated with the National Guard has succeeded, under the direct supervision of the Public Prosecutor’s Office, to uncover a network specialising in financing terrorist elements located in conflict zones.”

The statement explained that the criminal network “is headed by a foreigner and his Tunisian wife, who both live abroad while receiving assistance in Tunisia from three members, two of whom have been arrested, while the third is still a wanted fugitive.”

“While searching and raiding the homes of those involved, various amounts of Tunisian and foreign currencies were seized, in addition to bank and postal documentation proving cash transfers,” it added.

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The statement added that during the interrogation, the defendants “admitted that more than 15 terrorists benefited from funds sent to them by their families in Tunisia.”

The statement continued: “The judiciary placed one of the detainees in prison, while the second member was kept under conditional release, while 16 search warrants were carried out against those involved in these terrorist activities.”

Since May 2011, Tunisia has witnessed several terrorist attacks, which escalated in 2013, leading to the death of dozens of security and military elements, along with a number of tourists.