The Tunisian Ministry of Interior said in a statement that investigators believe that the woman planned to kidnap the children of some members of the security forces and the army, in an attempt to force the authorities to release people accused of terrorist attacks.
Investigators also suspect that the woman was also planning to attack a security facility with an explosive belt, according to Reuters.
Tunisia has been in a state of emergency since 2015, after an attack in which several members of the presidential guard were killed.