The Tunisian authorities foiled a terrorist attack aimed at the Lag Ba'Omer pilgrimage which ended earlier this month.
According to Tunisie-Secret, interim Prime Minister Mehdi Jomaa congratulated members of the national guard and army on 25 May for conducting a preventative operation to neutralise a 'spectacular' terrorist threat.
Three terrorists from the border with Libya had been arrested on the night of 24 May, according to Interior Minister Lofti Ben Jeddou. They were seeking to target not only the pilgrimage, a key money-spinner for Tunisia's economy, but also prominent personalities.
But Tunisie-Secret claims that, according to information leaked from the Ministry of the Interior, eight were arrested. They were part of a group of 20 terrorists, many home-grown, and including two who have been on the run since murdering the opposition leader Mohamed Chokri Belaid.
Even before the arrests, however, the terrorists were deterred by the massive security operation deployed on Djerba to protect the pilgrims to the al-Ghriba synagogue.
The spokesman of the Ministry of Interior, Mohamed Ali Laroui, said that the security services had found and neutralised mines and explosive belts for suicide bombers.
In April 2002 the bombing of the Al-Ghriba synagogue killed 19, including 14 German tourists.
Read article in full (French)
Djerba pilgrimage attracts 1,500
AFP report on Times of Israel
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