Saber Ragoubi (Jihadi Militant, Tunisia)

• Full name: Saber Ragoubi
• Pseudonym: N/a
• Alternatives: Saber Erregoubi
• Location: Tunisia
• Affiliation: fmr Soldiers of Assan Ibn al-Furat [JAIF]

Saber Ragoubi (ºca 1983) is a Tunisian Islamist who has been linked to jihadi activities since 2006 when he joined the Soldiers of Assan Ibn al-Furat [JAIF; Jund al-Assan Ibn al-Furat]. Ragoubi is thought to have served as one of the group’s most senior operatives.¹ In December 2006, security forces arrested him after he had hurled a bomb at them during confrontations in the town of Soliman.² On Dec. 30, 2007, a Tunisian court sentenced him to death for his role in the JAIF.³ His death sentence was confirmed on appeal in February 2008.⁴ Human rights activists launched an international campaign to protest the verdict.

Following the 2011 Tunisian Revolution, the interim authorities freed Ragoubi from prison under a general amnesty for political prisoners.⁵ He got a job at the local department for agriculture in Sousse.⁶ Ragoubi became active in local religious life. He reportedly advocated jihad in some of his sermons.⁷ In June 2012, Ragoubi was accused of having helped instigate riots by Islamists in the city.⁸

Ragoubi reportedly inspired youths to join the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant [DaIISh; Dawlat al-Islamiya fi-Iraq wal ash-Sham] and its Libyan affiliates.⁹ The authorities learned of his recruitment drive after several local youths had been arrested on their way to Libya.¹⁰ In August 2016, police arrested Ragoubi.¹¹ Due to lack of evidence, he was released from custody on Sep. 09, 2016.¹²