Tunisian trial opens over beach attack on British tourists


              Tunisian security forces guard the Tunis hall of justice, Friday May, 26, 2017. A court held on its first public hearing in the trial of 26 people in connection with an attack on a beach resort in Sousse that killed dozens of foreign tourists in 2015. (AP Photo/Hassene Dridi)
Tunisian security forces guard the Tunis hall of justice, Friday May, 26, 2017. A court held on its first public hearing in the trial of 26 people in connection with an attack on a beach resort in Sousse that killed dozens of foreign tourists in 2015. (AP Photo/Hassene Dridi)

TUNIS, Tunisia (AP) - Six security officers and 20 other people are on trial in Tunisia over a 2015 Islamic extremist attack on a beach resort that killed 38 people, mostly British tourists.

Tunisia's tourism industry has yet to recover, and the country still struggles against extremist violence.

The attacker, a Tunisian student who trained with Libyan militants, was killed by police. The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack on the Imperial Hotel in the Mediterranean resort of Sousse.

The officers who went on trial Friday in Tunis are accused of failing to prevent or stop the attack. The other suspects face accusations including involvement in preparing or inciting the violence.

The unusually large trial included around 70 lawyers as well as British Embassy representatives and foreign observers.

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