The mother of the Tunisian beach gunman has said her son once refused to kill a mouse because he "couldn't kill anything."

Radhia Manai, 49, said she believed Seifeddine Rezgui, who was killed by security forces after the rampage in the Sousse tourist resort, had been brainwashed into carrying out the attack.

Rezgui opened fire on holidaymakers sunbathing on the beach on Friday June 26, shooting 38 people dead.

His mother told the Sunday Times that when they told her her son had killed all these people she said `no, it's impossible'.

She said once there was a mouse in the house and she asked Seifeddine to kill it and he refused, saying he can't kill anything.