The Tunisian authorities conducted investigations with a number of citizens, including businesspersons, over their accusation of waging a conspiracy against the Tunisian government and targeting the state security to serve the interests of foreign governments. According to security sources, a number of those suspended are accused of panning to raise chaos in a number of Tunisian states in coordination with foreign governments.
In the same context, Tunisian authorities suspended a number of vehicles carrying foreign elements and weapons related to the arrested businesspersons. Sources revealed that the Tunisian authorities intend to refer the defendants to military court in the framework of the recent measures taken by the government to eliminate corruption.
The arrests follow the death of Anouar Sakrafi, who succumbed to his injuries on Monday after a police vehicle ran over him during protests. Violence gripped the rally as protesters clashed with security forces in the southern region of Tataouine, the scene of long-running protests over joblessness.
Tunisia declared a "war on corruption" on Wednesday after the arrest of three businessmen and a customs officer suspected of graft and financing protests. Corruption was widespread under Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, the president who was ousted in a 2011 uprising, and has remained endemic since.
"In the war on corruption, there's no choice. It's either corruption or the state. Either corruption or Tunisia," said Prime Minister Youssef Chahed. "I want to reassure all Tunisians that the government will see this war on corruption through to the end," he said in his first comments since the arrests started on Tuesday.
A senior official, on condition of anonymity, said that businessmen Chafik Jarraya, Yassine Chennoufi and Nejib Ben Ismail along with customs officer Ridha Ayari were arrested Tuesday "under the state of emergency" in force in Tunisia since November 2015. "They are implicated in affairs of corruption and suspected of plotting against state security through incitement and alleged financing of the protest movements in Tataouine and other regions," he said.