Sunday, January 30, 2011

Islamist returns to Tunisia after 22 years in exile

'Leading Tunisian Islamist Rachid Ghannouchi returned home Sunday from 22 years in exile, witnesses said. Thousands turned out to greet him at the airport.

His return is a powerful symbol of the change that has swept this country since its president was toppled by popular protests this month.

Supporters of Ghannouchi's Ennahda movement, which had been banned for two decades, crowded into the arrivals area of the airport and held up banners reading: "No to extremism, yes to moderate Islam!" and "No fear of Islam!"

A group of about a dozen secularists were holding up banners reading: "No Islamism, no theocracy, no Sharia and no stupidity!" '

No comments :