El-Arish - Ma'an
Egyptian security forces in the northern Sinai say they have thwarted an attempt to bomb a natural gas line in the northern Sinai leading to Israel. A group of unknown armed men targeted the line in Rommana village near Beir al-Abed, placing explosive devices underneath the pipes, security officials told Ma'an on Saturday. Security forces opened fire toward the suspects who fled the scene. Army and police forces searched the area for other bombs and used search dogs to track the suspects. Also Saturday, Egyptian authorities announced the arrests of six suspected leaders of the Jihadeen who were allegedly involved in previous bombings as well as establishing a "terrorist" cell. Separately, the Egyptian army arrested three Palestinians attempting to enter the Sinai peninsula via tunnels. Security sources said the men confessed to entering Egypt illegally. Two Palestinians, meanwhile, were moderately injured Saturday when a tunnel collapsed along the border between Gaza and Egypt, medical official Adham Abu Salmiya said.