Ennahda Chief Warns Belaid's Killers 'Want Bloodbath' in Tunisia

The head of Tunisia's ruling Islamist party Rached Ghannouchi on Wednesday denounced the murder of a secular opposition leader, saying the killers wanted a "bloodbath" in Tunisia.

"They want a bloodbath but they won't succeed" in creating one, Ghannouchi, whose party has been blamed for the murder, told Agence France Presse.

"We can only condemn this cowardly act, which is aimed at (undermining) the revolution and the stability of Tunisia," he added.

Chokri Belaid, a prominent figure in the coalition of leftist opposition parties and outspoken critic of the government, was shot dead as he left his home early on Wednesday.

Belaid's family have accused Ennahda of being behind the murder, but Ghannouchi rejected the accusations and described them as a "settling of political scores."