U.S. Embassy Dissatisfied with "Lenient Sentences" Handed to Participants in the September Attack

Last Tuesday, 20 Tunisians linked to fundamentalist Salafist group have been convicted of attacking the U.S. Embassy . The attackers were handed a two year suspended sentence each by a Tunisian local court.

This aggression was triggered chiefly by a U.S. made movie offending muslim beliefs and consequently unleashed an uproar of contempt and hatred towards the U.S. among international Muslim communities.

Demonstrators hoisting the black Khilafah flagon on the roof of

 the Embassy's Entrance

Infuriated crowds, numbering more than 1.500 people, swarmed the U.S. compound in Tunis raided the Embassy , wrecked cars, and ultimately burned the U.S. flag. Unexpectedly, the police response to these acts of vandalism  was tardy and their attempts to remedy the situation culminated only into few arrests. The initial American statement in response to the incident stressed the urgent need to bring those responsible for the attacks to justice.


According to official reports, around 73 people were arrested during the clashes with police. However, most of them were freed allegedly for lack of incriminating evidence and only 20 were charged and prosecuted.

Tunisian National Guard patrol 

In a statement issued by the Embassy, " The verdicts do not correspond appropriately to the extent and severity of the damage and violence that took place". Arguably, the embassy expressed its dismay and announced that it was"deeply troubled by reports of suspended sentences" and called for further investigation on the incident .


It should be noted therefore that in such acts of aggression on a foreign Embassy, particularly the U.S. one, the state is expected to stand firm and take all necessary preemptive measures to counter any potential menaces. In this respect, the failure of the Tunisian government was two folds ; indeed not only were its attempts to secure the U.S. Embassy unfruitful but its efforts to redress the already calamitous situation through a court decision led only to light sentences. A ruling that truly deluded the Embassy's hopes for a satisfying moral indemnification for the damage caused .


Many political experts have deemed the government approach to the Embassy incident as too lenient and may result if it reoccurs in an embarrassing diplomatic crisis with a strategic ally. On this basis government must assert that there will be zero tolerance to violence. Furthermore, as it may be inferred by the U.S. Embassy latest statements, the state has the obligation not to default on its responsibilities in providing security to Foreign establishments. An implicit warning no doubt that may result into a rift in the U.S./Tunisian relations in case such a mess happens again .