Accomplices sought in Tunisia terror attack

John Bacon , Jane Onyanga-Omara | Special for USA TODAY

Show Caption Hide Caption More than 20 killed in attack in Tunisia capital More than 20 people, including 17 European tourists, were killed in the Tunisian capital of Tunis Wednesday after gunman stormed tour buses that were unloading at the National Bardo Museum near the city center. (March 18)

TUNIS, Tunisia — A massive manhunt was underway for two or three accomplices after terrorists stormed a museum Wednesday, took hostages and killed 19 people, most of them tourists. Two gunmen were killed when authorities swept in and freed the hostages.

The government blamed a war on terror, but no group claimed responsibility for the bold assault at the National Bardo Museum, a popular tourist attraction in the birthplace of the Arab Spring movement that led to democratic elections.

"I want the people of Tunisia to understand firstly and lastly that we are in a war with terror, and these savage minority groups will not frighten us," newly elected President Beji Caid Essebsi said in an evening address to the nation. "The fight against them will continue until they are exterminated."

Late Wednesday, parliament held an extraordinary session where Speaker Mohammed Ennaceur called for the creation of a special fund to combat terrorism and passage of an anti-terror law. Thousands of people gathered at a downtown landmark for an evening rally.

Prime Minister Habib Essid said 17 foreign tourists were among those killed by the two Tunisian gunmen. Victims were from Japan, four from Italy, two from Columbia, two from Spain, and one each from Australia, Poland and France. The nationality of one victim was not released. At least 44 people were wounded.

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abbe said three of the dead and three of those injured were Japanese. The Tunisian prime minister earlier said five Japanese were among the dead. Japanese broadcaster NHK attributed the discrepancy to initial confusion with names, Associated Press reported.

Abe strongly condemned the attack, saying that "terrorism cannot be tolerated under any circumstances."

Essid identified the slain gunmen as Yassine Laabidi and Hatem Khachnaoui.

Some of the Italians at the museum were believed to have been passengers from the Costa Fascinosa, a cruise liner that had docked in Tunis. Ship owner Costa Crociere confirmed that some of its 3,161 passengers were visiting Tunis and that a Bardo tour was on the itinerary, but said it couldn't confirm how many were in the museum.

The scene was chaotic with people being evacuated from nearby buildings, including parliament, which was discussing anti-terrorism legislation, Essid said.

Tour guide Walid Ben Cheikh, 41, said he was accompanying an Italian group of cruise tourists and had just stepped off a bus when an armed young man in plain clothes started firing randomly with his automatic weapon. The man ran to the museum.

"Today, I decided to put an end to my guiding career," he said. "I have a little daughter. I do not want her to lose her father forever."

"This is a tragedy, a catastrophe for Tunisia," he added. "What they have done is cowardly."

Tunisia, the northernmost African nation, has struggled with militants since a revolution ousted President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in 2011. Since then, there have been assassinations of liberal, secular politicians and attacks on tourist haunts.

"Many are taking opportunities to undermine our homeland," Essid said. "We will act relentlessly, without mercy."

Thousands of Tunisians have joined the Islamic State militants in Syria and Iraq and many have returned home, the government has said.

"With the attack that has struck Tunis today, the (Islamic State) terrorist organization is once again targeting the countries and peoples of the Mediterranean region," Federica Mogherini, the European Union's representative for foreign affairs, said in a statement

The Bardo Museum, which dates to the 15th century, chronicles Tunisia's history and includes one of the world's largest collections of Roman mosaics. It is adjacent to the country's parliament in the capital of Tunis.

Tunisia gained independence from France in 1956, and most of its 11 million people speak the language. Tunisia adopted a constitution in 2014 that guaranteed rights for women and mandated that the president's religion be Islam.

"It is not by chance that today's terrorism affects a country that represents hope for the Arab world," French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said in a statement. "The hope for peace, the hope for stability, the hope for democracy. This hope must live."

Paul Salem, vice president for policy and research at the Middle East Institute in Washington, said Tunisia has had a radicalization problem since the Arab uprising.

The largest foreign group of radical fighters in Syria are from Tunisia, he said. That's partly because parts of Tunisia have become radicalized — and because of geography, Salem said.

"Libya is next door. There are a lot of training camps for Tunisians to go to and then move on to Syria," he said.

Even so, Tunisia has set an example for its neighbors that also saw revolutions. Syria, Libya and Yemen are disintegrating into lawlessness and terrorism, and Egyptians have seen their freedoms curtailed and terrorism surge under yet another military-backed regime.

Tunisia has long attracted Europeans in large numbers because of its beaches, mountains, the Sahara and its antiquities. Before 2011, 12% of the working population worked in the sector, which contributed about 7% to GDP. But tourism declined sharply since then and has only partially recovered, according to the Ministry of Tourism.

Meanwhile, residents here were in shock over the attack.

"I feel sad about what happened to the victims, I feel sorry for this country," said Walid Ben Salah, 34, a lawyer in Tunis. "Tunisia deserves better than this! Who did this today has no relation with Islam."

Wecker reported from Berlin. Contributing: John Bacon in McLean, Va.