Terror expert says Tunisian hotel attacks might have been 'an attempt to destabilize the economy'

A terrorism expert says that attacks on two Tunisian hotels this morning that left at least 28 dead and 36 wounded could have been an "attempt to destabilize the economy." Alexander Meleagrou-Hitchins, from the International Centre for the Study of Radicalization, told The Associated Press that similar attacks in Egypt and Kenya had damaged tourism.

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"We have people relaxing on the beach on their holidays being murdered — that is not going to help the attempts by the Tunisian tourist industry to get people to come to the country," Meleagrou-Hitchins said, adding that the gunmen might also have been working to destabilize the nation's political situation.

German tour operators are already offering to cancel Tunisian vacations, and are organizing planes for tourists who want to end their travels early. Victims of the attacks include German citizens, as well as Brits, Belgians, and Tunisians.