From Kais Saied to Algerian President: A Fake Letter Threatening the US and IMF

The Tunisian authorities have opened, on Tuesday, March 15, 2022, an investigation into the forgery of official documents related to the national security of the Tunisian country, after an alleged letter from President Kais Saied, seemed to be written in his own handwriting, was sent to the Algerian president, Abdelmadjid Tebboune.

The letter which president Kais Saied denied he wrote, was widely circulated on social media, Arabi 21 reported.

The “fake” document showed Saied’s complaining about American pressure, expressing harsh criticism about Washington and the International Monetary Fund, as well as revealing a “new alliance” with Moscow.

To open an investigation on the matter, the Tunisian president invited on Tuesday, the Minister of the Interior, Taoufik Charfeddine to Cartage Palace.

 

A Fake Official Letter

The President of the Republic, Kais Saied, received, on Tuesday, March 15, 2022, at Carthage Palace, Taoufik Charfeddine, the Minister of the Interior.

The meeting was about discussing the security situation in the country and the follow-up of efforts made to confront all manifestations of monopoly and speculation, as well as the need to overcome the obstacles faced by the National Consultation, according to the Tunisian Presidency official Facebook account.

Fraudulent official documents related to Tunisia's national security were also discussed and published on social media, where the Tunisian president stressed the need to track down the perpetrators, because, according to what he said during the meeting, fraud has nothing to do with the freedom of expression.

In fact, the meeting came after a fake letter, allegedly written by the Tunisian president, Kais Saied, was sent to Abdelmajid Tebboune, the Algerian president.

According to what is written, Kais Saied criticized the United States and the International Monetary Fund, describing them as “a gang of thieves running a bank for bandits,” and “a fraud fund that practices all kinds of bullying and extortion to force us to accept all their conditions.”

After the controversial letter, Tunisian president called for an investigation into the aforementioned document.

Many Moroccan users on social media ridiculously wondered how the Tunisian president could ask for Abdelmajid Tebboune’s support who has already been in a vulnerable position, according to Hespress.

 

Suspicious Package

The letter was not the only proof of the increasing number of Saied’s enemies; a year ago,  Tunisian authorities opened an investigation about a postal parcel containing an unidentified substance sent to the presidential palace in Carthage.

A source in the Tunisian Presidency told the BBC that an investigation was underway into the nature of the substance found and the sender of the parcel

On Wednesday, January 27, 2021, the same source confirmed that Tunisian President Kais Saied did not receive the parcel himself, and that he is in good health, as well as the employee who opened the parcel.

The suspicious package was sent to the presidential palace by an anonymous person, containing no document but a suspicious substance which might be toxic, according to Tunisia Africa News Agency.

Tunisia has not yet announced the results of the ongoing investigation, but Tunisian media said the parcel “may have contained the ricin poison.”

The Tunisian presidency said in an official statement that Algerian president Abdelmajid Tebboune called “to check on the health of the President of the Republic,” according to BBC.

The package sent coincided with the deteriorating economic conditions in Tunisia, the escalation of tensions and the angry popular protests despite the announcement of new changes in the government; Tunisian government did not succeed to stamp out the anger of the street.

 

An Attempt to Kill Saied?

Kais Saied recent moves amid dire economic and social problems raised the possibility of public unrest, putting the Tunisian president at risk of being assassinated.

The “suspicious expulsion” incident was a proof showing that Saied was targeted, according to Tunisian officials.

The package also represented an insult to Tunisia's national security amid tense political situation, and an attempt to spread chaos, according to Arabi 21.

The ongoing investigation gave no further details, even the Deputy Public Prosecutor at the Court of First Instance in Tunis, Mohsen Al-Dali, said that there is no scientific result confirming whether the box sent contains toxic or non-toxic substances.

In a statement to Arabi 21, the former minister and leader of the Ennahda movement, Abdellatif Mekki said that “what is happening in the country is really disturbing, the news should have been dealt with in another way from presidential security, the judiciary, and experts.”

Mekki considered that “the news caused great concern in the country amid a delicate political situation, we are torn between the president’s threatened life and the country’s crises.”