Tunisian minsiter denies Salafist convoy attack

The Tunisian ministry of Interior, has denied rumours that a group of Salafists attacked a convoy of Tunisian and French tourists, Tuesday, in front of a mosque in the city of el-Kef (about 200 km north-west of Tunis). The ministry, said in a official statement, Wednesday, that: \"the incident which occurred last night in el-Kef, described by sources as an attack on the tourist guide Marfouk Bsaúhan, infact, took place between a citizen named Ahmed Hammami and another set of religious youths.\" The statement, which Arabstoday obtained a copy of, stated: \"the incident had nothing to do with tourists, who were not subjected to any harm\", adding that: \"the person in question, called Ahmed Hammami is not a tourist guide.\" The Tunisian interior ministry, also confirmed:\"the national security chief of el-Kef, after consultations with the public prosecutor, stepped up security operations.\" The Tunisian media, saidearlier Wednesday, that: \"a tour guide, consisting of French tourists, was attacked Tuesday night, near the Mosque of Sidi Ali bin Saleh Al Kaf, by 30 Salafists\". The media asserted that: \"the Salafist leaders have labelled the tourism industry in the country as blasphemous and heretical\".