Seven Daesh militants sentenced to life after killing Scots couples

The first attack in March 2015 on the Bardo Musuem in Tunis killed 22 people, while 38 holidaymakers were shot dead three months later at Port El Kantaoui, near Sousse.

Jim and Ann McQuire from Cumbernauld and Lisa and Billy Graham from Bankfoot were killed in the second attack.

Daesh militants claimed responsibility for both attacks but the man who is believed to have masterminded them, Chamseddine al-Sandi, may still be on the run – although there are unconfirmed reports he died in a US air strike on Libya.

Three gunmen, one in Sousse and two in the Bardo attack, were shot dead by security forces at the time.

Four jihadists have now been given life sentences for the Sousse attack while five others were given jail sentences ranging from six months to 16 years. A further 17 accused were acquitted.

Life terms were also handed out to three jihadists in the Bardo attack with at least 10 defendants acquitted.

Others were given a range of jail sentences.

Tunisian prosecutors said they now plan to appeal against the acquittals.

Scotland’s Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf said he hoped the victim’s families would be able to take comfort from the results.

“Today is a day to remember all of the victims of this senseless and cowardly terrorist attack and my thoughts, prayers and heartfelt condolences are with their families and friends at this incredibly difficult time,” he said.

“I hope that the families of James and Ann McQuire, from Cumbernauld, and Billy and Lisa Graham, from Bankfoot, can take some comfort from the fact that these perpetrators have been brought to justice.”

An inquest in 2017 was told how Billy and Lisa Graham, who had been celebrating their 31st wedding anniversary, heard gunfire from the beach and ran into their hotel where staff guided them to an office area to hide.

However, they were gunned down by Seifeddine Rezgui who was killed later by security forces.

The inquest heard the couple had travelled to Tunisia to celebrate the 50th birthday of Lisa Graham who was described as a thoughtful and caring woman who loved to laugh. Her 51-year-old husband, who spent his spare time volunteering at St Johnstone football club, also had a great sense of humour and was “happy-go-lucky and a big joker”.

Ann McQuire, 63, and her 66-year-old husband James, tried to escape the gunmen but were shot near a hotel swimming pool. The inquest heard how it took 20 minutes before an ambulance reached James McQuire.

Relatives of victims of the Sousse attack are now claiming damages against tour firm TUI, who organised package holidays to Tunisia.

Around 80 people, including some of the injured, have begun legal proceedings, according to law firm Irwin Mitchell.

“The level of terrorist threat in Tunisia had been escalating for some time prior to June 2015,” said solicitor Kylie Hutchison. “This included a failed suicide bomb attempt outside a beach hotel in Sousse in October 2013 and an attack at the Bardo museum in Tunis in March 2015 in which 22 people were killed.

“Despite this, TUI, the tour operator who organised the holidays and was responsible for our clients’ safety, did not audit the adequacy of security at the hotel or take appropriate precautions to keep our clients safe from an attack.”

At the inquest in February 2017, Judge Nicholas Loraine-Smith ruled the victims had been unlawfully killed but threw out an accusation of neglect against the hotel and tour operators.

A TUI UK spokesman said: “We remain truly saddened by what happened on that fateful day in Sousse in June 2015 when 30 of our customers lost their lives in a terrorist attack which started on a public beach.

“Our thoughts remain with all of those who were affected by the horrific incident.

“As this is now subject to legal proceedings it would be inappropriate to comment further at this stage except to say we will fully cooperate with the judicial process.”

A state of emergency has been in place in Tunisia since the attacks.