This morning I chaired a second Cobra meeting focusing on the attack in Tunisia. I will ensure we do all we can to help those affected and to protect people from this terrorist threat. Our thoughts and prayers are with the loved ones of those killed or injured in the attack. We are working with the Tunisian authorities to identify a final number on the British casualties, but I'm afraid that the British public need to be prepared for the fact that many of those killed were British.
We are working hard to help those in Tunisia. We have a consular team on the ground in Sousse helping those there. A further team of consular staff, police and experts from the Red Cross are arriving today to provide further assistance. We are working with the travel operators to establish if there is anything more we can do to assist them. We will do everything necessary to get people home, including those injured.
Last night, I spoke to President Essebsi to thank the Tunisian authorities for their assistance and to discuss what more we can do together to tackle this threat. These were innocent holidaymakers, relaxing and enjoying time with their friends and families. Like the victims in France and Kuwait yesterday, they did not pose a threat to anybody. These terrorists murdered them because the terrorists oppose people and countries who stand for peace, tolerance and democracy wherever they are in the world. But these terrorists will not succeed.
For as much as they try to divide people around the world, they will only unite us more strongly in our determination to defeat these Islamist extremists and all that they stand for. We will keep working with our partners around the world. it will take time, vigilance and determination. But there is no place for these Islamist extremists in the modern world and we will defeat them. We will keep the public informed about further developments and I will make a statement to the Commons on Monday.
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