A European Union official says the bloc will freeze the assets of 46 allies and relatives of ousted Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali and his wife. The official said Friday the decision was reached after consultations with authorities of the new Tunisian government. She spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the information.
The EU had earlier announced plans to sanction the former strongman and his wife and promised to help the country move toward full democracy. Tunisia has issued an international arrest warrant for Ben Ali, accusing him of taking money out of the country illegally. Ben Ali fled Tunisia for Saudi Arabia last month following large scale protests. The assets are believed to run into many millions of dollars.