Religious unrest as Salafists gain ground in mosques nationwide

Salafists clashed with Tunisian security forces before the New Year Tunis – Azhar Jarboui Observers are predicting a turbulent year ahead for Tunisia as religious unrest spreads around the country. Naji Jalloul, leader of the Republican Party and an expert on Salafism, told Arabstoday the new year would be “perfectly bloody” for Tunisia. Jalloul predicted jihadists to move across the border from Mali, after the planned international military intervention against them, adding how important it would be for the Interior Ministry to maintain control of the situation with the current lack of information regarding the numbers and arms within insurgents’ ranks.
Analysts, along with a large number of opposition factions, have placed primary responsibility on Ennahda for the current predominance of hardline Salafist elements in Tunisia.
The Nahar newspaper recently leaked a report by Algerian security experts holding Rachid Ghannouchi’s Ennahda [“Renaissance”] movement responsible for expanding Salafist activity inside the country.
The Algerian report claimed Salafi elements are taking control of more than 10 per cent of mosques across Tunisia, allowing them to spread Wahhabi ideology.
Tunisia’s Minister of Religious Affairs Noureddine Alkhadami called for mosques to be neutralised on Wednesday evening, to preserve their religious roles while protecting them from political conflicts.
Meanwhile a Tunisian court has ordered the release of Salafist leader Hassan Break, spokesman for Supporters of Sharia, along with two of his followers, despite them being arrested on murder charges in connecting with the September 14 attack on the US embassy in Tunis. The defendants’ attorney said that the final verdict will be issued  on January 16.
Further unrest followed on Wednesday night when a famous Sufi shrine in the Bizerte governorate, “Sidi Ali Hachani,” was set on fire. The Tunisian army suspected Salafist elements had committed arson, after it was discovered the Holy Quran was removed from the site prior to the fire. Salafists believe that Sufi shrines are against Sharia and therefore forbidden by religion.