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Tunisia Attack Victims' Bodies Arrive Back In UK

The bodies of nine Britons shot dead in the Tunisia beach attack have arrived back in the UK, as the final British death toll was confirmed.

The C-17 military transport aircraft touched down at RAF Brize Norton carrying coffins bearing the bodies of Lisa and William Graham, Philip Heathcote, Trudy Jones, Ann and James McQuire, Janet and John Stocker, and David Thompson.

They were among 38 people killed by Seifeddine Rezgui in the resort of Sousse in Friday's attack, before the gunman was shot dead by police.

Meanwhile, Thomson and First Choice have confirmed the 30 British victims - who have now all been identified - were their customers.

On Wednesday, the coffins of Adrian Evans, Patrick Evans, Joel Richards, Carly Lovett, Stephen Mellor, John Stollery, and Denis and Elaine Thwaites were flown back.

Further repatriation flights are expected on Friday and Saturday.

All the British victims' bodies are being taken to west London, where a post-mortem examination will take place.

CT scans will be conducted in order to establish the precise cause of death.

The first inquests into the deaths are set to be opened tomorrow.

Coroner Chinyere Inyama, sitting at West London Coroners Court, is expected to open and adjourn the hearings, in which a headline cause of death will be confirmed and the bodies will be released.

A minute's silence will be held across the UK at midday on Friday, marking one week since the attack.

The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh will join people across the country in the act of remembrance.

Her Majesty will mark the silence during a visit to the University of Strathclyde's Technology and Innovation Centre in Glasgow, Buckingham Palace said.

David Cameron will mark the silence in his Oxfordshire constituency.

The flags at Downing Street and other Government buildings will be flown at half-mast throughout the day, as well as at police stations across the UK and military bases and embassies across the world.

The Union flag will also fly at half-mast at royal palaces, including Buckingham Palace.

The start of play at Wimbledon will be delayed by 45 minutes to 12.15pm on the outer courts to allow tennis players, fans and tournament staff to observe the silence.

Police officers and staff across Britain have been asked to observe the silence, and schools and local authorities are being urged to do the same.

Transport for London and national rail services have been asked to make announcements to remind staff and passengers.

The Government has indicated it is paving the way for airstrikes on Islamic State terrorists in Syria in the wake of the beach massacre.

IS has claimed responsibility for the attack.

The Tunisian authorities say Rezgui alone during his rampage, but had accomplices who supported him beforehand, providing him with weapons and logistical support.

Eight suspects - seven men and one woman - arrested in connection with the attack are to be charged , it was revealed on Thursday.

The country's authorities also said they were hunting two more militants who trained in Libya with the men who carried out last Friday's killings and those at the Bardo Museum.

In March, two gunmen killed 21 people at the museum in Tunis, before they were also shot.

British Defence Secretary Michael Fallon has vowed that those responsible for the attack will be "tracked down".

He said: "Let the House be in absolutely no doubt, the people who perpetrated the murders of our constituents are going to be tracked down, whether they are in Libya, in Syria or anywhere else."

The Metropolitan Police said hundreds of counter terrorism officers are helping the international response to the attack.

Specialist advisers have been sent to Tunisia to help the Foreign Office and Tunisian authorities in reviewing security at other resorts and attractions.

Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley, the national policing lead for counter terrorism, has appealed for witnesses to get in touch with police.

He said: "I would like to use this opportunity to appeal to anyone who was in Sousse and witnessed the attack to contact us on 0800 789 321 to help with the investigation, if they haven't done so already.

"We have also set up a dedicated email addresses for people to send any images and information that may assist."

:: People can send images to either www.ukpoliceimageappeal.com or www.ukpoliceimageappeal.co.uk and relevant information to tunisiaenquiry@met.police.uk.