Tunisia's interior ministry officials announced Tuesday that returnees from turbulent Arab countries and non-active terrorist cells pose the most serious threat to Tunisia. Security officials warned during a hearing in the Assembly of the People, that the Tunisians returning from combat zones in Syria, Iraq, and Libya "can attract a new generation of extremists, which poses a new threat, in addition to the threat of non-active cells in many areas across the country." The officials revealed that nearly 60 Tunisian extremists were killed in Syria, affirming that Tunisia's national security faces imminent threats by Al Qaeda affiliates in Morocco.
They stressed that Libya poses the greatest threat to Tunisia, as terrorists receive their training in camps across Libya. Tunisian officials explained that non-active terrorist cells can become active suddenly, causing uncontrollable terror, adding that the fatal blows by security authorities to Ansar Al Sharia extremist group, which is banned in Tunisia, has forced many of its supporters to pledge allegiance to Islamic State (IS). The officials revealed that a number of Ansar Al Sharia supporters have adopted the lone wolves technique, which is difficult to predict and face, confirming that Tunisian security forces have killed many IS leaders. The interior ministry announced Monday that security forces detained four terrorist cells, for recruiting young people to travel to Libya in order to join IS' ranks.
