Tunisian ex-interior minister detained for corruption

By Yosra Ouanes

TUNIS (AA) - The Tunisian judiciary on Wednesday ordered that former Interior Minister Habib Ammar be detained on a range of criminal charges, a judicial source told Anadolu Agency.

Earlier Wednesday, Ammar was formally taken into custody pending further investigations, the source, who spoke anonymously due to restrictions on talking to media, said.

He did not provide any further details.

According to local media reports, Ammar stands accused of having embezzled state funds -- and possessing unlicensed weapons -- during his brief stint as interior minister in 1988.

A veteran politician, Ammar contributed to the success of Tunisia’s 1987 coup d’état, which brought former President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali to power.

Ben Ali himself was later forced to step down -- ultimately fleeing the country -- during Tunisia’s 2011 popular uprising.

Earlier this month, Ben Ali, who currently lives in Saudi Arabia, was sentenced -- in absentia -- to life behind bars for ordering security forces to fire on unarmed demonstrators during the 2011 uprising.