Tunisia’s Islamists decry asset freezes as political move

By BOUAZZA BEN BOUAZZA
Associated Press

TUNIS, Tunisia (AP) — Tunisia’s influential Islamist movement Ennahdha is strong disputing accusations of money laundering and terrorism financing after the country’s central bank froze the bank accounts of a dozen top party officials. Party leader Rached Ghannouchi was among those hit by the account freezes. He is a former Tunisian parliament speaker who clashed with President Kais Saied. The bank freezes target those that authorities say are suspected of links to a charity called Nama Tounes. Ennahdha’s spokesperson on Thursday called the accusations a “malicious maneuver” aimed at diverting the attention of public opinion from Tunisia’s economic and political problems and at presenting Ennahdha as “a threat.”