British police deployed to Tunisia to help with investigation
Hundreds of British police officers will help with the investigation into Friday’s attack in Tunisia.
Around 400 officers have been deployed to UK airports to interview holidaymakers as they return home to find any information about what happened.
Specially trained officers are also giving support to those who were involved in the attack, which left 39 people dead.
At least 15 of the victims have been confirmed as British but the figure is expected to rise to at least 30.
In one of the biggest counter-terrorism operations since the July 7 London bombings in 2005, detectives, forensic specialists and family liaison officers are also being flown out to Port El Kantaoui where the attack took place.
It is believed the attacker, who has been identified as 24-year-old Tunisian student Seifeddine Rezgui, did not operate alone.
His father and college room-mates are being questioned.
Video footage has emerged appearing to show Rezgui, dressed all in black, running across the beach immediately after the killings.
It has been reported that local men had formed human shields on the beach to protect tourists, who were being targeted.
Tunisia’s Prime Minister Habib Essid has announced a major security clampdown in key tourist sites and in resorts.
Authorities have deployed 1,000 extra police and military to guard beaches and resort hotels.
The Foreign Office is urging travellers to Tunisia to be especially vigilant, but has not banned travel to the destination.
"Further terrorist attacks in Tunisia, including in tourist resorts, are possible, including by individuals who are unknown to the authorities and whose actions are inspired by terrorist groups via social media," it said.
It said a reinforced British Embassy team is on the spot providing consular assistance to British nationals.
"If you are in the area you should keep in touch with your tour operator and follow any advice from Tunisian security authorities," it said.
The FCO hotline number is +44 207 008 0000.
In March, 22 people – many of them tourists on a cruise excursion – were killed in a gun attack at the Bardo museum in Tunis.
Locals in the resort town of Sousse held a march on Saturday to denounce the attack, which is a massive blow to the country’s tourist industry.
Nadejda Popova, senior travel analyst for Euromonitor International, said the recent outbursts of violence represent major threat for the country.
"The terrorist attacks can prolong the recovery process of the travel industry in Tunisia. That said, there is an internal commitment to boosting the industry and therefore the authorities are likely to react and do whatever is possible to avoid any further issues."
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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