TUNIS – Tunisia’s ousted president Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali said yesterday he had been tricked into leaving the country six months ago, setting the stage for a revolution that inspired the “Arab spring” rippling across the region.
Mr Ben Ali fled to Saudi Arabia on January 14th, after mass protests against 23 years of rule in which he, his wife and their family built stakes in the country’s biggest businesses and accumulated vast fortunes at what Tunisians say was their expense.
A Tunisian court began trying the former president and his wife in absentia on charges of theft and illegally possessing arms, jewellery, cash, drugs and weapons.
Hundreds of protesters stood outside the courtroom demanding that Mr Ben Ali (74) be brought back to Tunisia.
Tunisia’s revolt electrified millions across the Arab world who suffer similarly from high unemployment, rising prices and repressive governments.
In a statement issued by his lawyers, Mr Ben Ali gave his first detailed account of the events leading to his departure.
At the time, thousands of protesters had gathered in Tunis to demand that he step down, the culmination of three weeks of demonstrations which police tried to disperse by firing on the crowds.
The statement said the head of presidential security had come to Mr Ben Ali in his office and told him “friendly” foreign intelligence services had passed on information about a plot to assassinate the president.
He was persuaded to get on an aircraft that was taking his wife and children to safety in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, but with the intention of returning immediately, the statement said.
“He boarded the plane with his family after ordering the crew to wait for him in Jeddah, but after his arrival in Jeddah, the plane returned to Tunisia, without waiting for him, contrary to his orders.”
– (Reuters)