TUNISIA-SECURITY/FRANCE France and Tunisia to work closer on anti-terror fight

Record ID: 145879

  • Title: TUNISIA-SECURITY/FRANCE France and Tunisia to work closer on anti-terror fight
  • Date: 29th July 2015
  • Summary: PARIS, FRANCE (JULY 29, 2015) (REUTERS) ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** EXTERIOR OF FRENCH INTERIOR MINISTRY VARIOUS OF TUNISIAN INTERIOR MINISTER MOHAMED NAJEM GHARSALLI AND FRENCH INTERIOR MINISTER BERNARD CAZENEUVE SIGNING PACT OF MUTUAL ENGAGEMENT IN REINFORCING ANTI-TERROR COOPERATION CAZENEUVE AND NAJEM GHARSALLI SHAKING HANDS POLICEMAN CAZENEUVE AND NAJEM G
  • Embargoed: 13th August 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: France
  • Country: France
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA1Y6Q75G8N1PL3MI9MYU7ZWP2V
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: France announced on Wednesday (July 29) in Paris a reinforcement of the anti- terror cooperation with Tunisia, in the wake of recent attacks in Tunis and in Sousse by training the Tunisian intervention units.
    French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said after meeting his Tunisian counterpart Mohamed Najem Gharsalli that dog teams specialised in explosives detection and training on specialized intervention techniques of de-mining and explosive devices would be made available to Tunisian units.
    "Tunis' anti-terror centre, with which UCLAT (French counter-terrorism co-ordination unit) has established a privileged link, will be assisted and we will work together in particular on the issue of deradicalisation, taking advantage of the French experience to develop a reinforced cooperation with our Tunisian friends. Two training programs focused on the fight against document fraud will be launched in our administrations and our training centres for Tunisians teams. And after that, we are going to organise the training of Tunisian intervention units by the GIGN (National Gendarmerie Intervention Group), the FIPN (Intervention Force of the national Police), the RAID (French Police Intervention Force) and training sessions for handling terror attacks, crimes scenes and the protection of public figures," Cazeneuve said.
    Tunisian authorities have been on high alert since the shooting in the seaside resort of Sousse that left 38 dead, including 30 British tourists on June 26.
    This attack, like the one launched against the Bardo Museum in Tunis in March, was claimed by the Islamic State (EI).
    Tunisia's parliament on Saturday (July 25) overwhelmingly approved legislation allowing the death penalty for those convicted on terrorism charges after Islamist militant attacks that killed dozens of foreign visitors in the past few months.
    Najem Gharsalli said Tunisia, which he says joined the club of "democratic countries", shared the same values as Europeans and Americans.
    "We've become a country threatened by terrorism because we decided to join the club of democratic countries. We have become a country threatened by terrorism because we've decided and are determined to defend the same human values as our European, American colleagues and all others worldwide," Najem Gharsalli told a news briefing.
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