Germany deports suspected Islamic extremist to Tunisia

BERLIN – German authorities have deported a suspected Islamic State member to Tunisia, days after Germany’s highest court rejected his appeal.

Hesse state Interior Minister Peter Beuth says the 37-year-old Tunisian, identified as Haikel S., was handed over to authorities in his homeland Wednesday.

Beuth said he hoped the deportation would set a precedent and allow Germany to speed up such procedures in future.

The man was arrested in 2017 on suspicion of being a recruiter and smuggler for IS and of planning an attack. Tunisia accused him of involvement in the 2015 attack on a Tunis museum and a 2016 attack on the border town of Ben Guerdane.

Germany is also trying to deport a 42-year-old Tunisian alleged to have once been a bodyguard for al-Qaida chief Osama bin Laden.