This story is free to read.

Tunisian PM: 1 gunman known to intelligence ahead of attack

Tunisians holding candles pray at the entrance gate of the National Bardo Museum where scores of people were killed after gunmen staged an attack, Tunis, Wednesday, March 18, 2015. Foreign tourists scrambled in panic Wednesday after militants stormed a museum in Tunisia's capital and killed scores of people, "shooting at anything that moved," a witness said. (AP Photo/Michel Euler) Tunisians holding candles pray at the entrance gate of the National Bardo Museum where scores of people were killed after gunmen staged an attack, Tunis, Wednesday, March 18, 2015. Foreign tourists scrambled in panic Wednesday after militants stormed a museum in Tunisia's capital and killed scores of people, "shooting at anything that moved," a witness said. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

By Associated Press March 19, 2015 1 min read

TUNIS, Tunisia (AP) – Tunisia’s prime minister says one of the two gunmen who killed 17 foreign tourists and two Tunisians at the Bardo museum was known to intelligence services, but no formal links to a particular terror group have been established.

In an interview with RTL radio Thursday, Habib Essi said Tunisia is working with other countries to learn more about the attackers, identified as Yassine Laabidi and Hatem Khachnaoui. He said Laabidi had been flagged to intelligence, although not for “anything special.”

Meanwhile, two of the cruise ships with passengers among the victims left the port of Tunis. MSC Cruises said nine passengers from the Splendida were killed, 12 injured and six unaccounted-for. Another ship, the Costa Fascinosa, said 13 passengers had not returned on board when the ship left port overnight.