Victims' Families Speak Out About Tunisian Terror Attack

Victims of the terrorist attack in Sousse, Tunisia, have questioned security measures as tour operators repatriate British tourists following the change in advice from the Government.
 
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) last week updated its advice and now advises against all but essential travel to most parts of Tunisia, prompting tour operators to repatriate the 3,000 British holidaymakers in the country.
 
Specialist lawyers at Irwin Mitchell have been instructed to help support several Britons injured in the Sousse beach attack in which 30 British citizens were killed and around 25 left injured. A gunman shot at tourists on the beach before entering the pool area of the Hotel Riu Imperial Marhaba before being shot as he fled the scene.
 
Those affected have told lawyers their concerns about the lack of security measures in and around the hotel at the time of the attack given that the risk of terrorist activity in the area was already well known.

Neil Murray’s 25-year-old daughter Kirsty was shot several times and suffered shrapnel damage to her arms and legs following an explosion in the hotel. He flew out to help her, and her fiancé Radley Ruszkiewicz who was also caught up in the attack, the day after the incident and says he has questions over the level of security.
 
Neil, from Colchester, said: “Our focus is now on making sure my daughter has the help and support she needs to recover as much as possible from this terrible incident. Her well-being is our number one priority and she is showing remarkable strength of character considering what happened. She is now on her sixth operation
 
“From my experience of being out there just hours after the attack happened I feel there are unanswered questions about the security levels in and around the area. Although at that time the hotel had some security, there didn’t seem to be any visible armed security in the surrounding area unless there were visits from ministers or the media. That close to Libya and Algeria where there have also been incidents in recent years, I would have thought security would be much tighter.”

Expert Opinion

“This was a truly horrendous attack upon innocent tourists and we have heard first-hand about the shocking events that occurred in Sousse and the bravery and dignity of both survivors and those who tragically lost their lives. Our deepest sympathies are with all of those affected at this extremely difficult time.

"Now the remaining tourists have come home, questions need to be answered as to whether the security measures on the beach and in the surrounding hotels in Sousse at the time of the attack were at an appropriate level given reports of around 50 terrorist incidents in Tunisia since 2013 including a failed terrorist attack on the Sousse beach in October 2013 and the Bardo Museum attack earlier this year in which 21 people were killed.

“British holidaymakers and other eye-witnesses at the scene of the latest tragedy in Sousse have raised concerns about the lack of visible security measures in and around the resort, which in our experience is at odds with the level of threat in the region." Clive Garner - Consultant

More information on travel advice from the FCO can be found here https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/tunisia