Facts revealed in case of Ben Ali and 22 collaborators

The first hearing of the ousted President and twenty-two senior officials under the former regime in the case of the Tala and Kasserine martyrs opened, on Monday, before the El Kef standing military court of first instance raised the thorny question of who shoulders the responsibility of ordering to shoot the demonstrators. During the hearing, Rafik Belhaj Kacem, former Interior and Local Development Minister, rejected any involvement in those incidents, denying having instructed to open fire on the protesters. He added that the security issue had been assigned to the follow-up cell which carries out task in accordance with the plans fixed to this end. Former Interior Minister Ahmed Friaa, who was appointed on January 12, said that his nomination at the Interior Ministry aimed to implement political reforms and restore calm in the country. Ali Seriati, former Director of the Presidential Security, confirmed the testimonies of Boudriga and added that he had been himself at the origin of the third speech delivered, on January 13, by Ben Ali in which the latter used the famous phrase "no more shooting with real bullets!"