Police are ready to speak to more than 1,000 holidaymakers returning home to Scotland following the Tunisian beach terror attack.
Officers are poised to receive the repatriated Scots and question them over the atrocity as they gather evidence on the mass murder which has left 38 confirmed dead, many of them Brits.
Specially trained counter-terrorism police will gather witness statements from those staying at the Sousse resort, where 23-year-old student Seifeddine Rezgui opened fire last Friday.
Mobile phone pictures and video footage will be retrieved if necessary from Scots holidaymakers and handed to Tunisian authorities.
Detective Chief Superintendent John Cuddihy, Police Scotland’s Head of Organised Crime and Counter Terrorism, said the first priority was to get help for those traumatised by the devastating events nd that interviews would follow.
Mr Cuddihy, who also has a number of officers now working in Tunisia, said: “In terms of this incident, there is considerable impact on Scotland.
“Our primary intention is to repatriate any Scottish victims and any significant witnesses who may have witnessed events in Tunisia
“We will repatriate 1,000 individuals back into Scotland and that ranges from those visiting the wider community of Tunisia to those in the Sousse resort.
“For those who witnessed the event, our primary objective is to insure that they have the support they need. What they have witnessed will be highly traumatic and the primary objective is to insure they have the support they need.”
At least two couples from Scotland are known to have died in the terror attack.
Billy and Lisa Graham, from Bankfoot, near Perth, had not been heard of since the shooting but a relative has now confirmed they were among the fatalities.
Mr Graham was a retired soldier with 22-years service and a turnstile operator at St Johnstone football club for seven years.
The couple travelled to Tunisia to celebrate Mrs Graham’s 50th birthday.
Steve Brown, the chairman of the Perth club, said: “This is terrible news and our thoughts go out to the whole family at this time.
“Billy was part of the St Johnstone family and a great ambassador for the club, who always did his job with a smile on his face.”
Jim and Ann McQuire, from Cumbernauld, North Lanarkshire, also died in the shootings.
Mr Cuddihy said that Scots should not be put off going on their holidays but said that safe travel advice should be adhered to.
The senior officer added: “By and large the world is a safe place. People should go an enjoy their holidays but events like this tell us that we are not immune from terrorism.”