US ambassador to Tunisia Jacob Walles US ambassador to Tunisia Jacob Walles published a message on the embassy website, commemorating the one-month anniversary of the attacks on the his country's embassy and school in Tunis. In his message the ambassador assured readers that good relations between Tunisia and the United States will continue, but cautioned that the Tunisian government must work to protect foreigners in their country.
Walles praised Tunisian citizens who have sent messages condemning the violence, and encouraged Tunisians to continue to stand against "violence and terror". The ambassador also called for the perpetrators of September’s attacks to be brought to justice.
On September 15, extremists and rioters, angry at a US-made amateur film that mocked Islam, trashed, burned and looted several buildings inside the compound of the US embassy and the American Cooperative School of Tunis. At the school, attackers stole computers and other school supplies, and destroyed what they did not steal. At the embassy, a number of vehicles, many belonging to Tunisian staff, were burned. The American flag was replaced by one carrying an Islamic message.
The government of Tunisia condemned the attacks, and offered to pay for the damages.
Up to 900 individuals were arrested in clashes between rioters and policemen around the embassy. Four Salafi militants died and dozens were reported injured.
In his message, the US ambassador told the Tunisians that what the extremists have done "will have negative effects on your life and your economy, as it is hard to convince American businessmen to invest their money in an insecure state."
A Salafi leader told Arabstoday that Salafi activists who protested near the US embassy in Tunis were exposed to a "trap" plotted by the government, the Constituent Assembly and the minister of interior.
The leader, who wished to remain anonymous, called Prime Minister Hammadi Jebali to force Foreign Minister Rafiq Abdelsalam to resign for his comments, where he said that "the most important thing in the whole issue is that no US nationals were hurt."
"The top diplomat of our country considers the Americans' blood more important than the blood of Tunisian citizens who died in the clashes. He must be held accountable for this comment," the Salafi leader said.