TUNIS
Security measures were heightened around the residence of Tunisian presidential hopeful Beji Caid Essebsi following local media reports purporting "confirmed intelligence" of a plan to assassinate him.
Local radio station Mosaic quoted an unnamed security source as saying that there has been "confirmed intelligence" of a "plan to assassinate Essebsi," without providing further clarification.
There is a heavy security presence in the vicinity of Essebsi's house, which is located in Tunis' northern suburb of Sakra, and checkpoints were set up on the roads leading to house, an Anadolu Agency correspondent reported.
Tunisians head to the polls on Sunday to cast their ballots to elect the country's next president in a runoff vote that pits interim President Moncef Marzouki against Essebsi of Nidaa Tounes party.
Essebsi won some 1.9 million votes (39.4 percent) in a first-round poll in early November, while Marzouki won roughly 1.1 million votes (33.4 percent).
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