Tunisia arrests 8 suspected of terrorist plot

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TUNIS, Tunisia (AP) — Tunisia's Interior Ministry says police have arrested eight people suspected of plotting terrorist attacks after undergoing weapons and explosive training in neighboring Libya.

Ansar al-Shariah, which is blamed for the 2012 killing of a U.S. ambassador and classified by the U.S as a terrorist group, is based in Libya and Tunisia. Tunisia, seen as a model for Arab nations seeking democratic stability, has heightened security on the border with troubled Libya.

Tunisian Interior Ministry spokesman Mohamed Ali Aroui is quoted by the state news agency TAP as saying the suspects were arrested this week based on intelligence that a terrorist group had crossed into Tunisia from Libya.

He said Wednesday night that they are suspected of planning attacks targeting "sensitive institutions and security figures." The report gave no other details.