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Tunisia Extends Detention of Ennahda Vice President

Ali Laarayed, a suspect in the sending of Tunisian recruits to hotbeds of tension and terrorism. (EPA)
Ali Laarayed, a suspect in the sending of Tunisian recruits to hotbeds of tension and terrorism. (EPA)
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Tunisia Extends Detention of Ennahda Vice President

Ali Laarayed, a suspect in the sending of Tunisian recruits to hotbeds of tension and terrorism. (EPA)
Ali Laarayed, a suspect in the sending of Tunisian recruits to hotbeds of tension and terrorism. (EPA)

A Tunisian anti-terrorism investigative judge decided on Tuesday to extend for four months the detention of several suspects over the sending of Tunisian recruits to hotbeds of tension and terrorism during 2012 and 2013.

The suspects include former interior minister and vice-president of the Ennahda Movement, Ali Laarayed.

The decision also includes former officials in the Ministry of Interior, Abdul Karim Al Obaidi who was the former head of the aircraft protection squad at Tunis-Carthage airport, and Fathi Al-Baladi, who is accused of establishing a parallel security apparatus that follows the Ennahda leaders' instructions.

Security and judicial investigations also comprised Sayf al-Din Rayes, a former spokesman for the banned Ansar al-Sharia organization and a detainee in this case.

The Tunisian anti-terrorism investigative judge issued in Sep. 2022 six-month imprisonment sentences against suspects in this case. The detention was extended for four additional months.

Recently, the period was extended for four more months in compliance with the law on combating terrorism and money laundering, issued in July 2015.

Investigations were launched in the wake of a complaint filed by former MP Fatima Al-Masdi of the Nidaa Tounes against political and security figures accusing them of sending thousands of Tunisians to the hotbed abroad, especially Libya and Syria.

Upon this complaint, Laarayed was arrested on Dec. 19, 2022, but no judicial orders were issued in this case.

This made Ennahda institutions, represented in its executive office and Shura council, demand the release of Laarayed.

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Baghdad Urges Washington to Prevent ‘Imminent’ Israeli Strikes

Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)
Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)
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Baghdad Urges Washington to Prevent ‘Imminent’ Israeli Strikes

Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)
Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani on Thursday called on major powers to “exert greater efforts to end the war in Palestine and Lebanon.” Meanwhile, an Iraqi government official urged the United States to “prevent any attacks on the country,” referring to potential Israeli strikes.
During a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Al-Sudani stressed the importance of ensuring the conflict does not escalate “to a level that threatens regional and global stability.”
The Iraqi prime minister’s appeal comes amid reports suggesting that Israel may launch strikes on Iraq in retaliation for attacks by Iraqi armed factions targeting Israeli positions.
The Iraqi government is striving to assert its exclusive authority over weapons and war-related decisions. However, armed factions affiliated with the Axis of Resistance openly claim responsibility for near-daily rocket attacks on Israel. This has provided Israel with a justification for potentially targeting Iraqi territory, especially after it filed a complaint with the UN Security Council against six Iraqi factions and held Baghdad responsible for the attacks.
These factions have also openly declared their involvement in the ongoing conflict with Israel in Lebanon and Gaza. The Iraqi government has been unable to take decisive action to halt the activities of these factions, which many believe could soon expose Iraq to an Israeli strike.
According to media reports, Washington has warned Baghdad that Israeli airstrikes on Iraq are “imminent” unless the Iraqi government curtails attacks by Iranian-backed factions on Israel. The Times of Israel cited sources indicating that the United States has “exhausted all means of pressure on Israel” and urged Iraq to act swiftly to prevent such attacks.
Despite repeated assurances from the Iraqi government—including its recent adoption of 12 measures by the National Security Council to counter Israeli threats and complaints—the situation remains tense. These measures include monitoring Iraq’s western borders, preventing factions from launching attacks, and maintaining Iraq’s neutrality in the ongoing conflict.
On Wednesday, Abu Hussein Al-Hamidawi, Secretary-General of Kata’ib Hezbollah, made a striking statement on the role of resistance factions in the war and their commitment to the Unity of Fronts doctrine frequently mentioned by Axis of Resistance groups.
In an interview published by the faction’s media arm, Al-Hamidawi said: “The continuity of the Unity of Fronts concept depends on what the Lebanese Hezbollah decides.”
Al-Hamidawi also emphasized that resistance factions are constantly coordinating internally and with external partners such as Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Palestinian resistance leaders.
“We aim to ensure that the Palestinian people are not left alone and that the Unity of Fronts remains intact,” he stated.
Fadi Al-Shammari, a political advisor to Sudani, reiterated that Israel’s threats “are not new,” citing the recent complaint filed by Israel with the UN Security Council as part of its pattern of issuing threats.
In media statements, Al-Shammari reaffirmed the Iraqi government’s long-standing position: “The decision of war and peace lies solely with the Iraqi government.”
He noted that the factions’ attacks are being launched from areas outside Iraq’s borders, specifically from Syria. However, he stressed that the Iraqi government is working through its security and military agencies to prevent Iraq from becoming a battlefield for external or internal parties.
Al-Shammari also called on the United States to fulfill its responsibilities under the Strategic Framework Agreement and security pact with Iraq, emphasizing the need to deter and respond to any external attacks that threaten Iraq’s internal security.