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Sousse beach attack: Coroner condemns Tunisia police response Sousse beach attack: Coroner condemns Tunisia police response
(35 minutes later)
The police response to a terror attack at a Tunisian resort in which 30 Britons were killed was at best "shambolic" and at worst "cowardly", a coroner has concluded. The police response to a terror attack at a Tunisian resort in which 30 Britons were killed was "at best shambolic and at worst cowardly", a coroner has concluded.
In all, 38 people were killed when an Islamist gunman opened fire at a hotel in Sousse on 26 June 2015.In all, 38 people were killed when an Islamist gunman opened fire at a hotel in Sousse on 26 June 2015.
Judge Nicholas Loraine-Smith said the gunman had been intent on killing as many tourists as he could.Judge Nicholas Loraine-Smith said the gunman had been intent on killing as many tourists as he could.
The police response could and should have been effective, he said. He said he would rule that all 30 Britons were "unlawfully killed".
But Judge Loraine-Smith said he has not found a direct and causal link between the response of armed officers in the area and the deaths. He added that he has not found a direct and causal link between the response of armed officers in the area and the deaths.
Families had wanted the coroner to consider whether neglect was a factor in their deaths, but he has ruled this out.
It is understood that families of 22 of the Britons killed plan to take travel company TUI to a civil court in a bid to get compensation for personal injury and deaths.
The company maintained it was "wholly erroneous" to claim it had been neglectful and there was insufficient evidence of any gross failure.
Judge Loraine-Smith is expected to say that all 30 Britons were unlawfully killed.
He has also said he would not be able to make judgements or give opinions as they fall outside his remit, and advised families the final day could be "a bit of an anti-climax" for them.
Relatives and friends of the British dead, who were aged between 19 and 80 and included three generations - a young man, his uncle and his grandfather - from one family, have gathered at London's Royal Courts of Justice to hear the coroner's conclusions.Relatives and friends of the British dead, who were aged between 19 and 80 and included three generations - a young man, his uncle and his grandfather - from one family, have gathered at London's Royal Courts of Justice to hear the coroner's conclusions.
What exactly happened on the day?What exactly happened on the day?
Tunisia attack: 'He sacrificed himself'Tunisia attack: 'He sacrificed himself'
One survivor's recurring nightmareOne survivor's recurring nightmare
Who were the victims?Who were the victims?
Families had wanted the coroner to consider whether neglect by holiday firm TUI or the hotel owners was a factor in their relatives' deaths.
But he told them he could not because the law regarding neglect did not cover tourists on holiday.
It only applied in cases where someone had a duty of care towards someone because of their youth, age, an illness or incarceration - not tourists who voluntarily agreed to go on holiday abroad, he said.
He said there were a lot of "what ifs" around the case, and better hotel security may simply have meant more people died on the beach.
The only factor that might have made a difference was if the hotel guards had been armed, he added.
"Having reviewed the legal advice on gun law in Tunisia, it's clear this was not a realistic option," he said.
"The simple but tragic truth in this case is that a gunman armed with a gun and grenades went to that hotel intending to kill as many tourists as he could.
"The police response could and should have been effective, he said.
It is understood that families of 22 of the Britons killed plan to take travel company TUI to a civil court in a bid to get compensation for personal injury and deaths.
The company maintained it was "wholly erroneous" to claim it had been neglectful and there was insufficient evidence of any gross failure.
In summing up at the end of a six-week hearing, the judge said holidaymakers had been "reassured" about safety before booking.
One man said his wife had raised the March 2015 attack at the Bardo Museum in the capital Tunis with a travel agent, who told her it had been a "one-off" and the place was "100% safe".
A Thomson travel agent said she would not say somewhere was completely safe, the inquest heard.
'Unforgivable'
The attack at the five-star Riu Imperial Marhaba hotel was the deadliest on Britons since the 7 July 2005 London bombings.The attack at the five-star Riu Imperial Marhaba hotel was the deadliest on Britons since the 7 July 2005 London bombings.
The gunman, Seifeddine Rezgui, was later shot dead by police. The gunman, Seifeddine Rezgui, was shot dead by police after his hour-long killing spree.
Survivor Allen Pembroke told the BBC how he found people lying in pools of blood among sun loungers close to the water's edge.Survivor Allen Pembroke told the BBC how he found people lying in pools of blood among sun loungers close to the water's edge.
He gave first aid to British holidaymaker Cheryl Mellor, who was still alive after being shot in the leg and arm, but drifting in and out of consciousness.He gave first aid to British holidaymaker Cheryl Mellor, who was still alive after being shot in the leg and arm, but drifting in and out of consciousness.
He said he was alone on the beach for 20 minutes checking on the dead and injured, with no help from anyone else.He said he was alone on the beach for 20 minutes checking on the dead and injured, with no help from anyone else.
"I saw no military or medical staff and it's only in recent reports that I found out that the police waited, they fainted, they hid."I saw no military or medical staff and it's only in recent reports that I found out that the police waited, they fainted, they hid.
"That's unforgivable, they need to be accountable for that," he said."That's unforgivable, they need to be accountable for that," he said.
The inquest has previously heard that "part of the attack or most of it could have been prevented" had security been tighter.The inquest has previously heard that "part of the attack or most of it could have been prevented" had security been tighter.
Tour operator TUI has been accused of failing to vet security at the hotel, but the firm has argued "matters could have been worse" during the attack.Tour operator TUI has been accused of failing to vet security at the hotel, but the firm has argued "matters could have been worse" during the attack.
The six-week inquest also heard evidence that: The inquest also heard evidence that:
The Tunisian ambassador to the UK, Nabil Ammar, said his country had been unprepared for such an attack and it was unfair to blame police.The Tunisian ambassador to the UK, Nabil Ammar, said his country had been unprepared for such an attack and it was unfair to blame police.
"How can you imagine that police deliberately wanted people to die?" he asked BBC Radio 4's Today programme."How can you imagine that police deliberately wanted people to die?" he asked BBC Radio 4's Today programme.
Since the attack, he said security in the country and in hotels had improved, and Tunisia was now considered as safe a destination as London.Since the attack, he said security in the country and in hotels had improved, and Tunisia was now considered as safe a destination as London.
Tunisia should, he added, be shown the same solidarity shown to other countries which have experienced similar attacks.Tunisia should, he added, be shown the same solidarity shown to other countries which have experienced similar attacks.
Andrew Ritchie, who is representing 20 victims' families, told the inquest they believed TUI's "utter complacency" amounted to neglect.Andrew Ritchie, who is representing 20 victims' families, told the inquest they believed TUI's "utter complacency" amounted to neglect.
He said the guards at the Riu Imperial Marhaba had not been an effective deterrent and the lack of CCTV had made it a target.He said the guards at the Riu Imperial Marhaba had not been an effective deterrent and the lack of CCTV had made it a target.
But Howard Stevens, counsel for TUI, said even if there had been additional CCTV cameras or guards it "cannot be said that any of these measures would probably have made a difference".But Howard Stevens, counsel for TUI, said even if there had been additional CCTV cameras or guards it "cannot be said that any of these measures would probably have made a difference".
The Foreign Office says further attacks are highly likely in Tunisia, including against foreigners, and advises against all but essential travel.The Foreign Office says further attacks are highly likely in Tunisia, including against foreigners, and advises against all but essential travel.
Questions from the inquestQuestions from the inquest
By Richard Galpin, BBC News correspondentBy Richard Galpin, BBC News correspondent