Tunisia to ramp up security measures after beach attack

Tunisia weighed new security measures on Sunday as it scrambled to secure its vital tourism sector after 38 people were killed at a seaside resort in the worst jihadi attack in its history.The country’s National Security Council was to meet later on Sunday after authorities vowed to ramp up security following Friday’s attack targeting tourists, which saw at least 15 Britons killed.

After an emergency meeting late on Saturday, Interior Minister Najem Gharsalli promised new steps to ensure the “protection of Tunisia’s tourist sites and beaches by armed police units”.“We can no longer refrain from taking difficult measures,” Gharsalli said in a statement carried by Mosaique FM radio, adding that at least 1,000 members of security forces would be involved in securing tourist sites.

Authorities had earlier announced plans to deploy armed security officers along the coast and inside hotels from July 1 and to shut down 80 mosques accused of inciting extremism.The attack saw a Tunisian student disguised as a tourist pull out a Kalashnikov rifle hidden in a parasol and open fire on beachgoers at the Riu Imperial Marhaba hotel in Port El Kantaoui, near Sousse south of the capital Tunis.

Witnesses have described scenes of sheer terror, with the gunman mowing down screaming tourists as many ran for their lives.One Tunisian witness said the gunman had only targeted tourists, telling locals: “Stay away, I didn’t come for you.”