Tunisia attack: Theresa May visits scene of massacre flanked by balaclava clad guards with machine guns

Home Secretary Theresa May visited the scene of the Tunisian hotel massacre today – with a huge security operation following her every move.

At least five members of the country's special service National Guard came out onto the beach at Sousse ahead of her arrival, heavily armed with M16 sub machine guns, dressed in balaclavas and camouflage despite the intense 30C heat.

They were followed quickly by around 12 anti-terrorist cops carrying machine guns and pistols in holsters on their trousers.

May, dressed in a black trouser suit and her trademark leopard skin flat shoes, stood in silence with the ring of steel all around her, a gun boat patrolling the turquoise blue waters of the Med carrying armed officers watching the crowds who turned up to see her visit.

Theresa May arrives at the beach in Tunisia

The touching floral tributes on the shore where 30 Brits are feared to have lost their lives included many from the people of Sousse who courageously stood in the way of gunman Seifeddine Rezgui.

One read simply: "Sorry we were unable to protect you", another "Do not understand" and "We are sorry, RIP."

They included photos of the Brits killed and heart-rending messages from their loved ones, including one which read "You are our world. I loved you so very much" from a daughter who lost both her parents.

A German family also left tributes to the lone victim from their country identified so far, with the message 'You cannot see loss, you cannot hear it, only feel it." The German Minister of the Interior Thomas de Maiziere accompanied Mrs May on the visit.

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The Home Secretary stood in silent contemplation for several minutes before returning to the Rui Imperial Marhaba hotel, where so many of the victims were gunned down in cold blood by IS terrorist Rezgui, 23.

Footage emerged of him today as he walked around the pool and sprayed gun-fire all around, followed by hotel staff who were trying to stop him and at the same time protect the Brits who lay sun bathing. He filmed him for 11 minutes, and at one point throws an olive oil button at Rezgui in a desperate attempt to stop him.

But the gunman shot three people dead in the indoor pool, with one female victim on a sun bed inside by the window at the main door.

She lay helpless as Rezgui fired at her from point blank range, the bullet holes and broken glass of the window still clearly visible today only yards from where Theresa May was due to hold her press conference.

The Home Secretary observed a minute's silence

The foreign office faces increasing pressure to identify the British victims whose families have still not been officially informed if they are alive or dead due to delays in identification in Sousse.

The clinics here say so many of the victims did not have any identification with them on the beach or by the pool that DNA and dental records need to be checked.

The British death toll is expected to rise to 30 in the coming days, making it the worst terrorist atrocity since the 7/7 bombings in London eight years ago

source: miurror