KAIROUAN, TUNISIA // The Great Mosque at Kairouan is an austere building in yellow brick, which has stood since the dawn of Islam and seen Islamic empires of all strands rise and fall around it.
Last year, in the shadow of its imposing minaret, thousands of supporters of Tunisia's main radical Islamist movement, Ansar Al Sharia, gathered for an annual congress, led by the one-time fighter in Afghanistan known as Abu Iyadh.
The priorities laid out in the speeches were relatively uncontroversial - Islamically correct tourism and charitable programmes were called for.
It was the second annual congress after the fall of president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in 2011, and the beginning of new political freedoms.
This year was different. The congress was banned by the authorities. Outside the mosque were no jubilant crowds of men waving the black flag of militant Islam. Instead there were armed plain-clothed and uniformed police, a dozen sniffer dogs and the whiff of tear gas in the air from nearby altercations between police and local youths. In the suburbs around the capital, where the group organised a small rally, one man died in clashes with security forces.
Tunisia's government, led by the moderate Islamist Ennahda party, was once accused of conciliation to the country's substantial minority of militants with a violent interpretation of their faith. Now, in a series of statements and actions, the government seems to have decided to crack down on the groups, amid what western and regional officials say are growing security threats.
"The government will deal with Ansar Al Sharia as an illegal organisation that has committed acts of violence and has ties to terrorism," said Ali Larayedh, the prime minister, this week. "The head of this movement is involved in many affairs, including terrorism, and is wanted by security forces."
A war of words between the authorities and the radicals flared up earlier this month.
Ministers initially said they were undecided as to whether to allow the annual congress to go ahead, and later stated that the meeting was forbidden, as Ansar Al Sharia is not a registered association and had not applied for the necessary permission to hold an event expected to attract thousands of people.
A response that Abu Iyadh, whose real name is Saifullah Ben Hassine, posted on his Facebook page apparently addressed Ennahda as "tyrants" who have nothing to do with Islam.
"You are fighting a victorious religion helped by Allah and no force on Earth, no matter how strong, can defeat it," he said.
He reminded the government that members of the group had fought alongside other radical Muslim groups from Iraq to Chechnya and "will never hesitate to sacrifice for their religion in Tunisia".
The threat and the reference to the government, which is technically an interim body, as "tyrants" is a significant escalation in rhetoric and comes at a time when the group may be growing its capacity for violent activity.
Ansar Al Sharia is thought to be the driving force behind encouraging and facilitating the flow of Tunisian fighters to Syria and Mali.
One western diplomat said earlier this year that the group has been the dominant force in sending 3,000 Tunisian fighters who are believed to be in fighting alongside Islamist rebels in Syria, and about 500 who fought in Mali against a French-led offensive earlier this year.
A fear frequently expressed by politicians and analysts that such fighters could return and operate on Tunisian soil was fuelled last month when it became clear that the Mount Chaambi area bordering Algeria was scattered with landmines. Several soldiers were gravely wounded by the home-made devices, which Tunisian authorities said were laid by Tunisian and Algerian militants returning from Mali.
Ennahda's leader, Rachid Ghannouchi, explicitly linked Ansar Al Sharia with the minefield in a speech earlier this month.
Adding to fears about the group's increased militancy is a change in rhetoric from the regional branch of Al Qaeda. In October last year, a statement from Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb seemed ready to coax Ennahda, rather than confront them. It advised the party to abolish an unpopular "anti-terror" law passed by Ben Ali, under which many Islamists were detained.
But last week the group, which refers to Ansar Al Sharia as brothers, showed a sharp change in tone, referring to "a conflict between the good and the evil people, between the callers to the Sharia of Allah and his party and the callers to the way of Satan and his followers".
Over the past week, as the banned meeting approached, the government and Ansar Al Sharia, whose supporters are now thought to number in the tens of thousands, refused to back down.
Spokesmen from the group insisted that the congress was not cancelled, and posted videos online of how to sneak past police into Kairouan.
The former justice minister, Nourredine Bhiri, who is still a prominent Ennahda member, insisted, after meetings in Kairouan, that "every party that does not respect the law will be punished".
When Sunday came, amid heavy security in Kairouan, the congress did not take place. Men who adopted the beards and Afghan-style clothing of Salafis were turned back on the roads. About 200 were arrested, the prime minister tsaid , and a rally organised in Ettadhamen suburb of Tunis prompted fierce clashes, in which one person was killed.
If it proceeds with this crackdown, the government will likely have the support of many people who find the ascetic and aggressive nature of Ansar Al Sharia frightening and un-Tunisian.
"Ansar Al Sharia are extremist. They cause threats to society because they see themselves as right and all those who oppose them as wrong," said Taieb Ghozzi, the imam at the Great Mosque in Kairouan. "It's better to ban their congress."
However, the government will steer a difficult path in using police to quell an Islamist foe. Under Ben Ali, laws ostensibly designed to combat terrorism were used to detain people who were non-violent Muslims or political Islamists. The police were often accused of brutality.
For some people, Ennahda's new tactics are uncomfortably similar. In Kairouan, clashes on Sunday were not led by Ansar Al Sharia but by ordinary young men who said they resented the heavy police presence in the town.
"This is a revolution against the police and the politics," said Ahmed Dhoubi, a 23-year-old student, one of a throng facing off against police. "It's a revolution for Islam and for the quality of life."
afordham@thenational.ae
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Duminy's Test career in numbers
Tests 46; Runs 2,103; Best 166; Average 32.85; 100s 6; 50s 8; Wickets 42; Best 4-47
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Sly%20Cooper%20and%20the%20Thievius%20Raccoonus
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UK%20record%20temperature
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RESULT
Esperance de Tunis 1 Guadalajara 1
(Esperance won 6-5 on penalties)
Esperance: Belaili 38’
Guadalajara: Sandoval 5’
Museum of the Future in numbers
- 78 metres is the height of the museum
- 30,000 square metres is its total area
- 17,000 square metres is the length of the stainless steel facade
- 14 kilometres is the length of LED lights used on the facade
- 1,024 individual pieces make up the exterior
- 7 floors in all, with one for administrative offices
- 2,400 diagonally intersecting steel members frame the torus shape
- 100 species of trees and plants dot the gardens
- Dh145 is the price of a ticket
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Brief scores:
QPR 0
Watford 1
Capoue 45' 1
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Scoreline:
Everton 4
Richarlison 13'), Sigurdsson 28', Digne 56', Walcott 64'
Manchester United 0
Man of the match: Gylfi Sigurdsson (Everton)
The%20specs
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Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
The specs
Engine: Direct injection 4-cylinder 1.4-litre
Power: 150hp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: From Dh139,000
On sale: Now
TEACHERS' PAY - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:
- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools
- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say
- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance
- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs
- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills
- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month
- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Sebastian Stefan, Sebastian Morar and Claudia Pacurar
Based: Dubai, UAE
Founded: 2014
Number of employees: 36
Sector: Logistics
Raised: $2.5 million
Investors: DP World, Prime Venture Partners and family offices in Saudi Arabia and the UAE
It Was Just an Accident
Director: Jafar Panahi
Stars: Vahid Mobasseri, Mariam Afshari, Ebrahim Azizi, Hadis Pakbaten, Majid Panahi, Mohamad Ali Elyasmehr
Rating: 4/5
ACC%20T20%20Women%E2%80%99s%20Championship
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
Sam Smith
Where: du Arena, Abu Dhabi
When: Saturday November 24
Rating: 4/5
Star%20Wars%3A%20Episode%20I%20%E2%80%93%20The%20Phantom%20Menace
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDeveloper%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Big%20Ape%20Productions%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPublisher%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20LucasArts%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EConsoles%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20PC%2C%20PlayStation%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Drivers’ championship standings after Singapore:
1. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes - 263
2. Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari - 235
3. Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes - 212
4. Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull - 162
5. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari - 138
6. Sergio Perez, Force India - 68
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Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
West Asia Premiership
Dubai Hurricanes 58-10 Dubai Knights Eagles
Dubai Tigers 5-39 Bahrain
Jebel Ali Dragons 16-56 Abu Dhabi Harlequins
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
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The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre supercharged V8
Power: 712hp at 6,100rpm
Torque: 881Nm at 4,800rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 19.6 l/100km
Price: Dh380,000
On sale: now
THE 12 BREAKAWAY CLUBS
England
Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur
Italy
AC Milan, Inter Milan, Juventus
Spain
Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Real Madrid
Tree of Hell
Starring: Raed Zeno, Hadi Awada, Dr Mohammad Abdalla
Director: Raed Zeno
Rating: 4/5
RESULTS
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,200m
Winner: Shafaf, Sam Hitchcott (jockey), Ahmed Al Mehairbi (trainer)
5,30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 1,200m
Winner: Noof KB, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
6pm: The President’s Cup Listed (TB) Dh380,000 1,400m
Winner: Taamol, Jim Crowley, Ali Rashid Al Raihe
6.30pm: The President’s Cup Group One (PA) Dh2,500,000 2,200m
Winner: Rmmas, Tadhg O’Shea, Jean de Roualle
7pm: Arabian Triple Crown Listed (PA) Dh230,000 1,600m
Winner: Ihtesham, Szczepan Mazur, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami
7.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 1,400m
Winner: AF Mekhbat, Antonio Fresu, Ernst Oertel
Why your domicile status is important
Your UK residence status is assessed using the statutory residence test. While your residence status – ie where you live - is assessed every year, your domicile status is assessed over your lifetime.
Your domicile of origin generally comes from your parents and if your parents were not married, then it is decided by your father. Your domicile is generally the country your father considered his permanent home when you were born.
UK residents who have their permanent home ("domicile") outside the UK may not have to pay UK tax on foreign income. For example, they do not pay tax on foreign income or gains if they are less than £2,000 in the tax year and do not transfer that gain to a UK bank account.
A UK-domiciled person, however, is liable for UK tax on their worldwide income and gains when they are resident in the UK.