.... The organisation peddles highly religious policies that leave a bitter taste in the mouths of westerners and secular Tunisians. But surprisingly thoughtful, if at times fanciful, theories underlie them.
Take halal tourism. Ansar al-Sharia wants Tunisia to focus less on the traditional western tourist market and target a Muslim market, especially from Europe. Such a policy wouldn't be stupid: global interest in halal tourism is growing, with Muslim countries like Malaysia and Turkey already showing interest in developing models in their own countries. Ansar al-Sharia also supports Islamic trade unionism, financial reforms and tackling education inequality.
[A COMMENT] Good grief. After running a series of editorial pieces about Tunisia straight out of Ennahda's press office, the Graun has now found someone to enlighten us on the gentle side of Salafi. Next up: why some suicide bombers are worth listening to. [Guardian Cif] Read more
