Tunisian leader calls state of emergency, state media says


              FILE - In this Sunday, June 28, 2015 file photo, a book and flowers lay at the scene of the attack in Sousse, Tunisia. Tunisia's state news agency says the country's president is declaring a state of emergency more than a week after a beach attack targeting foreign tourists that killed 38 people. The news agency said President Beji Caid Essebsi would address the nation later Saturday, July 4 after declaring the state of emergency more than a week after the attack in the Tunisian resort of Sousse. (AP Photo/Abdeljalil Bounhar, file)
FILE - In this Sunday, June 28, 2015 file photo, a book and flowers lay at the scene of the attack in Sousse, Tunisia. Tunisia's state news agency says the country's president is declaring a state of emergency more than a week after a beach attack targeting foreign tourists that killed 38 people. The news agency said President Beji Caid Essebsi would address the nation later Saturday, July 4 after declaring the state of emergency more than a week after the attack in the Tunisian resort of Sousse. (AP Photo/Abdeljalil Bounhar, file)

TUNIS, Tunisia (AP) - Tunisia's president declared a state of emergency on Saturday, more than a week after a gunman at a popular resort attacked foreign tourists on the beach, killing 38 people.

It was not immediately clear why President Beji Caid Essebsi decided to declare the state of emergency, or what it would entail. The state news agency said the president would address the nation later in the day.

Thirty of the 38 dead in the Tunisian resort of Sousse were British tourists.

The gunman was killed by police and the Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the massacre, a blow to Tunisia's budding democracy and tourism industry.

Tunisia's government has promised new laws to increase police powers and provide for harsher penalties for terrorism convictions. Immediately after the attack, the prime minister pledged to post armed guards at tourist sites and close mosques outside government control.

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