Tunisians react to the death of former President Ben Ali Tunisians in Tunis react to the death of former Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in Saudi Arabia's Jeddah, the first leader to be toppled by the Arab Spring. Ben Ali, who ruled his North African country from 1987 until 2011, was viewed by some as a bulwark against Islamist extremism, but faced criticism for muzzling the opposition and his reluctance to embrace democracy. IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES