Tunisia interior minister expects more riots, arrests

Tunisia's Interior Minister Ali Larayedh (C) speaks during a demonstration in Tunis January 11, 2012. Protesters were demanding the departure of corrupt police officers.

TUNIS (Reuters) - Tunisian Interior Minister Ali Larayedh said on Tuesday he expected rioting by groups of Salafi Islamists and others to continue in the coming days and said some of the violence may have been inspired by al Qaeda.

"We have entered a phase in which we may see similar incidents and expect it to continue in the coming days and for the number of arrests to increase," he told parliament.

"The protests are a reaction to the exhibition but maybe also to (Ayman) al-Zawahri's recent comments."

Zawahri urged Tunisians in an audio message on Sunday to turn against the government led by moderate Islamist Ennahda, of which Larayedh is a long-standing member, which the al Qaeda leader said had betrayed the religion.

(Writing by Lin Noueihed; Editing by Jon Hemming)