Shropshire Star

Watch: Terror in Tunisia - footage from the museum where Shifnal woman Sally Adey was killed

The terrifying moments a holiday of a lifetime descended into tragedy were shown at the inquest into the death of Shropshire mother Sally Adey.

Published
Bullets in the wall of the museum

Husband and wife Sally and Robert Adey, had been enjoying the cultural sights of the Tunisian capital Tunis when Isis terrorists struck at the Bardo Museum.

Tragically, Mrs Adey, 57, a retired solicitor and a mother of two from Caynton, near Shifnal, was one of the victims. She was killed when she was hit by a single rifle bullet while her husband attempted to get her away from the attackers.

Bullets in the wall of the museum

Harrowing footage from the attack was shown at the inquest into Mrs Adey's death, which concluded that she had been killed unlawfully.

Detective inspector Simon Harding, of the Metropolitan Police Counter Terrorism Command, talked Shropshire coroner John Ellery through footage which showed panicked tourists desperately attempting to flee the museum.

He also showed chilling film of Tunisian terrorists Yassine Laabidi and Jabeur Khachnaoui as they stalked through the museum complex with AK-47 assault rifles in hand.

The pair can be seen moving calmly through empty rooms that only minutes earlier had been filled with unsuspecting tourists.

At one point a man can be seen bumping into the pair as they approach stairs, and in a twist of fate they leave him to run away as they make their way to the room where they shot Mrs Adey.

The shocking scenes show children and adults one minute enjoying guided tours and then running for their lives, while still images at the inquest showed bullet holes left in the walls and bullet casings gathered after the attack.

Mr Ellery was told how the museum is close to a military firing range, and that initially the sounds of gunshots would not have been unusual.

DI Harding had told the coroner that both attackers had been trained in Libya in December 2014.

He also revealed that there had been some threats made on social media accounts prior to the attack, but that none had talked about specific targets, meaning that the British authorities did not consider the attack foreseeable.

One message posted on Twitter a day before the attack said: "Coming good news to Tunisian nationals and a shock to disbelievers and hypocrites especially those who claim to be cultured."

Another said: "Coming days will be full of incidents that will change the conditions of the Tunisians to victory."

The inquest had heard how Mrs Adey had been shot as she and her husband tried to flee the attackers.

The bullet had travelled through her handbag and struck her in the abdomen and pelvis.

The coroner heard details of the moments after she was shot in a statement from her husband, who explained how he looked for blood.

Mr Adey said he had looked for an exit wound but could not locate one and "had no idea what he would have done if he found it".

Coroner's officer Julie Hartridge read from Mr Adey's statement where he told how his wife had said: "Oh God, Rob, I am hit.".

The pair then hid behind doors on a balcony to escape from the attackers.

The evidence from Home Office pathologist, Nicholas Hunt, said that Mrs Adey's wound would have been very difficult to treat even if she had been at a hospital.

The statement said: "Controlling bleeding would have been impossible without advanced hospital care."

The statement had earlier revealed how Mr Adey and his wife had been enjoying the sights of the city.

He described the mosaics at the museum as beautiful and said that he and Mrs Adey "loved old things like that".

Following the inquest, Mrs Adey's family paid tribute to a woman of strength and kindness.

In a statement they said: "Sally was a much-loved mother, wife and daughter. Those who knew her appreciated her strength and kindness, and she will be missed by all."

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