Tunisia's ousted president hoarded diamonds, gold and large amounts of cash in secret places around his palace, the country's television reported on Sunday.
Anti-government protests that swept Tunisia in mid-December forced president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, who had ruled the North African country for 23 years, to flee to Saudi Arabia. The December riots in Tunisia ignited a wave of anti-government protests throughout the Arab world.
Ben Ali hid his treasures behind curtains, paintings and book shelves in the palace library, according to a video broadcast by state television, which showed millions of U.S. dollars and euros, diamonds and gold found in the palace in the Carthage district near the capital Tunis.
The TV channel did not specify the sum of the ousted president's treasures hoarded in the palace.
According to UN data, 219 people were killed and 510 injured during the anti-government protests in Tunisia. Economic damage from the riots is estimated at 1.6 billion euros.
CAIRO, February 20 (RIA Novosti)
