Tunisian media report a suspicion of ricin mail, a potentially fatal poison.
An investigation was opened in Tunisia after the reception of a suspicious letter intended for the head of state Kaïs Saïed, announced the authorities, the Algerian presidency evoking, it, an “attempt of poisoning”. A letter opened on Tuesday, January 26, by an official in Kaïs Saïed’s cabinet contained suspicious material and an investigation was opened to determine its nature and origin, the Tunisian presidency told AFP. No one was indisposed, and the mail did not reach the president, according to the same source.
Les services de la Présidence de la République ont reçu une lettre contenant une poudre suspecte, a indiqué une source de la Présidence de la République #TAP
— Agence Tunis-Afrique-Presse (@AgenceTAP) January 27, 2021
“Ricin”
Tunisian media have mentioned a suspicion of ricin mail, a potentially deadly poison. “The mail was therefore seized and subjected to a chemical analysis, while the person in charge who opened it was admitted to the hospital and subjected to close surveillance. An investigation was opened and dozens of people would be heard”, reports Réalitésonline.
This case comes in a very tense political context in Tunisia, after a standoff over a government reshuffle, between Kaïs Saïed, an independent conservative, and the Islamist-inspired Ennahdha party, the main party in Parliament. According to the deputy and leader of Ennahdha Saïd Ferjani, the case is part of a publicity stunt that “breaks the growing wave of discontent with Saïed”.
“Telephone interview”
In Algeria, the Presidency of the Republic said in a statement that President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, hospitalized in Germany, had heard from his Tunisian counterpart. “The President of the Republic Abdelmadjid Tebboune this evening had a telephone interview with his brother, the President of the Tunisian Republic, Kaïs Saïed, during which he inquired about his state of health following the news of the attempt to his poisoning “, we read in the press release quoted by the official APS agency.
