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Islamists attack Tunisian university following niqab ban

07 October 2011 01:42 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. Four Islamist activists carrying knives and swords attacked the Faculty of Letters and Human Sciences of Sousse, some 170 km from the capital Tunis on Thursday, after the administration refused to enroll a female student wearing a niqab (Islamic face veil), APA reports quoting Xinhua.

Moncef Ben Abdeljelil, the dean of the faculty, said the attack created a movement of panic among the students and teaching staff, causing the interruption of classes. Later, a petition denouncing all forms of extremism was circulated, TAP said.

Last month, the administration posted a note banning the enrolment of students wearing Islamic face veils. Abdeljelil told a local radio, Jawhara FM, that the attackers threatened to cut his throat if he didn’t allow the student to enroll. No one was hurt and the attackers were eventually forced out of the campus, Jawhara FM said.

The incident comes 18 days before the holding of the country’s election for the Constituent Assembly tasked with drafting a new constitution and running the country for at least one year, before the holding of presidential and legislative elections.

Recent survey polls place Ennahdha, the country’s moderate Islamic party on top of the parties, coalitions and independents running for the elections.