Jihadists claim 2013 murders of Tunisia secularists
Tunis (AFP) - Jihadists who have since joined the Islamic State group claimed twin murders of secular politicians that plunged Tunisia into crisis in 2013, in a video posted online Thursday.
"Yes, tyrants, we're the ones who killed Chokri Belaid and Mohamed Brahmi," Abou Mouqatel, a militant wanted by the authorities for their murders, said in the video in which he appeared with several others.
It was not clear where the video was filmed but Abou Mouqatel claimed they were in an area under the control of IS, which has seized swathes of Syria and Iraq.
"We are going to come back and kill several of you. You will not have a quiet life until Tunisia implements Islamic law," added the militant, whose real name is Abou Bakr al-Hakim.
Belaid was killed on February 6 last year, while Brahmi was murdered on July 25, in twin attacks blamed by the authorities on the jihadist Ansar al-Sharia group that had not previously been claimed.
The killing of Belaid triggered deadly protests and a political crisis that brought down Islamist prime minister Hamadi Jebali.
The murder of Brahmi intensified the crisis, and threatened to derail Tunisia's post-Arab Spring transition until a compromise government was formed in January this year.
The authorities estimate that as many as 3,000 Tunisians have gone to Iraq and Syria to fight with jihadist groups including IS, and have expressed concern that some will return to carry out attacks at home.
