By Houda Mzioudet.
Tunis, 23 June 2015:
There were Tunisian links to the seizure of ten of its consular staff in Tripoli . . .[restrict]two weeks ago by a Libya Dawn brigade, according to Taieb Baccouche, Tunisia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Speaking yesterday in Tunis at press conference, he alleged that there was “compelling proof” of “Tunisian parties” being implicated in the incident, adding that they had hampered the staff’s release.
A judicial investigation had been opened into the matter, he said. An international investigation would also be carried out regarding the attack, which Baccouche described as “a crime under international standards and a blatant assault on Tunisian sovereignty”. Tunisia would pursue the perpetrators, he declared.
The staff were seized by members of the Medfaiyah Wal-Sewarigh Brigade who were demanding the release of commander Walid Ghleib, arrested in in Tunisia.
Baccouche said that the Tunisians linked to the kidnapping had been in touch with the kidnappers, supporting the demand that Ghleib be released. They were working for a specific party, he alleged, although he denied that they were directly political. He said he would not name them while the investigation was ongoing. [/restrict]
