Questioning of Tunisia's opposition chief rescheduled

Two leaders of Tunisia's Islamist opposition party Ennahdha were surrounded by supporters Monday afternoon as they appeared for questioning before an anti-terror unit in Tunis.

The chief of the party, Rached Ghannouchi and one of his deputies Ali Laarayedh are accused of sending jihadist militants to Syria and Iraq. 

Ennahdha firmly denies the claims and supporters denounce a witch-hunt.

"This is a new episode of persecution of those opposed to the coup of which the aim is to silence everyone, to damage the image of the party and to defame us, Imed Khemiri, spokesperson of the Ennahdha party lamented."

"This case opened with the summoning of the president of the parliament and a former head of government, respectively Rached Ghannouchi and Ali Laarayedh, is a case created out of thin air, without any foundation or evidence."

Late Monday, one of Ghannouchi lawyers said he was allowed to leave after "12 hours in the waiting" and his questioning was rescheduled for Tuesday while his deputy remained in the headquarters of the anti-terror unit.

Critics of the party and some politicians accuse Ennahdha of having facilitated the departure of militants for war zones after the 2011 revolution. The party dominated political life at the time until a power grab by President Kais Saied last year.