WARSAW, Poland (CNS) – The head of Tunisia’s Catholic Church urged Western Catholics not to abandon his country despite fears of further Islamist violence after a bloody terrorist attack on tourists in the famed Bardo National Museum in its capital.

“It’s believed other radical groups are biding their time here, having returned to Tunisia after fighting in Syria and Iraq,” said Archbishop Ilario Antoniazzi of Tunis.

“But this attack was aimed at the tourism industry, rather than against Christians,” the archbishop said. “We count on Western church leaders to encourage people not to be afraid, and to continue coming here as visitors and pilgrims.”

The March 18 attack by a group of armed invaders left 22 dead, most of whom were Western tourists.

Archbishop Antoniazzi said local Catholics had been left “shocked and dismayed” by the attack, which was claimed by the Islamic State (IS) movement.