Tunisian minsiter denies Salafist convoy attack

The Tunisian ministry of Interior, has denied rumours that a group of Salafists attacked a convoy of Tunisian and French tourists, Tuesday, in front of a mosque in the city of el-Kef (about 200 km north-west of Tunis). The ministry, said in a official statement, Wednesday, that: "the incident which occurred last night in el-Kef, described by sources as an attack on the tourist guide Marfouk Bsaúhan, infact, took place between a citizen named Ahmed Hammami and another set of religious youths." The statement, which Arabstoday obtained a copy of, stated: "the incident had nothing to do with tourists, who were not subjected to any harm", adding that: "the person in question, called Ahmed Hammami is not a tourist guide." The Tunisian interior ministry, also confirmed:"the national security chief of el-Kef, after consultations with the public prosecutor, stepped up security operations." The Tunisian media, saidearlier Wednesday, that: "a tour guide, consisting of French tourists, was attacked Tuesday night, near the Mosque of Sidi Ali bin Saleh Al Kaf, by 30 Salafists". The media asserted that: "the Salafist leaders have labelled the tourism industry in the country as blasphemous and heretical".