Special to WorldTribune.com

CAIRO — Tunisia has captured an alleged Islamist cell linked to the
Salafist movement and accused of killing an opposition leader.

Officials said Tunisia has determined that the killers of opposition
leader Chokri Belaid were linked to the Salafist movement. They said a
Salafist-linked cell influenced by Al Qaida assassinated Belaid in an effort
to intimidate secular critics of any Islamist regime in the North African
state.

“This was a local Salafist operation, and we don’t have any evidence of
a foreign sponsor,” an official said.

Officials said the Salafist movement, aligned with the Renaissance
Party, has spawned scores of operational and sleeper cells in an effort to
take over Tunisia. They said the campaign included attacks on pro-Western elements in the country, including the U.S. embassy, universities, labor unions and places of entertainment.

So far, four people have been arrested in connection with Belaid’s death
on Feb. 6, which sparked nationwide unrest including attacks on the ruling Ennahda, aligned with the Muslim Brotherhood. Officials said all of the suspects were Tunisians, ages 26 to 34.

A key suspect has fled and might no longer be in Tunisia, officials
said. They said the fugitive was believed to have been the assassin who shot Belaid at his home.

“The perpetrator is known and is currently being pursued by the security
forces,” Tunisian Interior Minister Ali Larayedh said.

Officials did not link the suspects to arms smuggling from neighboring
Algeria and Libya over the last year. The Tunisian Army reported several
interceptions of arms shipments believed linked to Al Qaida.

  Chokri Belaid, Ennahda, Islamists linked to assassination of Tunisian opposition leader, Muslim Brotherhood, Renaissance Party