Tunisia's new government purges police leadership

Source: AFP

TUNIS — Tunisia's interim government moved to take back control of the country's security forces on Wednesday, firing dozens of senior allies of fallen dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.

Prime Minister Mohammed Ghannouchi's new administration axed 30 top police officials, appointed a top military officer to head up the national security service and named new chiefs for seven key regions in the country.

The government also approved wage rises for the country's beleaguered police service.

But Ben Ali's former interior minister Rafik Belhaj Kacem, previously under house arrest, was in custody Wednesday after being arrested a day earlier.

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"On national television late Tuesday, newly appointed Interior Minister Farhat Rajhi sketched an alarming picture of the powerful forces still lined up against the new administration.

He told of how a mob of up to three thousand people had attacked his ministry late Monday, he said.

"Thanks to General Rachid Ammar and to the anti-terrorist forces, I was able to escape," he added. Ammar, head of the armed forces, last month pledged to anti-government protesters that his soldiers would defend Tunisia's revolution. After a cabinet meeting Tuesday, the interim government pledged to stand firm.

As a statement of intent, they agreed to sign up to international conventions including the Rome statutes on the International Criminal Court and the optional protocol to the UN Convention to Combat Torture."

The police (and secret police and presidential guard) are Mubarak's lifeline.