Badra Gaaloul, President of the International Center for Strategic Studies called on the security institution to make every effort as soon as possible to eradicate terrorism… Work should start with the elimination of “moles” that who are still present in this institution. Moreover, the protection of citizens is still needed to meet this challenge.
Interview:
Nejib Guesmi, a Tunisian shepherd, was recently executed by terrorists in Mount Sammama, how do you analyze this change in tactics among terrorist groups?
Terrorists have targeted an intelligence officer and not a private citizen. The perpetrators have certainly obtained information proving the cooperation of the shepherd with the security institution. According to them, he was an enemy that must be liquidated.
According to the doctrine of terrorists, those who collaborate with the law enforcement personnel become “Tawaghits” and are thereby a dangerous threat.
Do you think it is a message to the security institution?
Obviously, because terrorists want to prove that they have all the information. They also want to show that the security institution and that of the defense are infiltrated.
Therefore, they are able to target our soldiers by all means, and this is very dangerous.
The assassination of Nejib Guesmi is a message addressed to citizens to frighten and discourage them from working with law enforcement personnel.
Would Tunisian citizens be the target of terrorist groups?
Through the assassination of Nejib Guesmi, terrorists have certainly warned Tunisian citizens, but I reject the assumption that they are a target for them, and it is very early to pronounce definitively on the issue.
Terrorists have targeted rather security agents in their plans.
Do you think this incident could threaten and thwart the efforts of the interior department and the defense strategies in their fight against terrorism?
This is a clear threat despite the security gains made by the institution which shall make every effort to meet this challenge.
The strategy set up by the institution aims to eradicate terrorism, a phenomenon that has gained momentum in post-revolutionary Tunisia, but much remains to be done.
What to do to protect the country and its citizens?
The security institution is called to chase spies still present within it. It should also start with an internal cleaning up before embarking on an external war.
This makes sense, as terrorist groups continue to move between the mountains and even near the closed military zone though they are well controlled … This proves that terrorists use the mountains as barracks for training before engaging in their terrorist plans.
The terrorists are among us and more active cells still exist in society.
That is why it is necessary to react in time and space to meet this challenge while ensuring better protection for citizens who could help the security institution.
Similarly, much work should be conducted at the judicial level, an issue that continues to cause a lot of ink to flow regarding terrorist cases.
Do you have accurate information on the sides that are behind these cells?
These are ordinary people, but they belong to terrorist groups. Moreover, several of them have pledged allegiance to the Uqba Ibn Nafaa Brigade and have joined this group for some time.
Is Tunisia able to win this war?
In this situation and with the somewhat slow pace of our army, I think it is difficult to achieve this goal.
Why ?
The security institution is moving forward, but it is in an open war with terrorist groups who have even more breath especially as they live in hiding to carry out their plans…
Are you expecting attacks in the coming days?
Everything is possible since we have not yet managed to put an end to this dangerous phenomenon.
Do you think the Tunisian South is on the verge of explosion, since it is close to the Libyan borders?
Silence is a negative index and, in my opinion, the ground is fertile for the onset of a crisis in the area … It’s possible with the dissemination of terrorist groups throughout North Africa.
