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发帖数: 14642 | 1 http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41435638/ns/world_news-mideast/n_af
CAIRO — A natural gas pipeline that runs through Egypt's North Sinai
exploded Saturday, disrupting flows to Israel and Jordan.
The blast came after Islamists called on militants to exploit the unrest
that has rocked the government and there were reports of attacks by
saboteurs, but also claims it was caused by a gas leak.
State television quoted an official as saying earlier Saturday that the "
situation is very dangerous and explosions were continuing from one spot to
another" along the pipeline.
"It is a big terrorist operation", a state TV reporter said.
A security source in North Sinai said "foreign elements" targeted the branch
of the pipe that supplies Jordan.
However, the head of Egypt's natural gas company, Magdy Toufik, said the
fire was caused "as a result of a small amount of gas leaking."
A security source said the Egyptian army closed the main source of natural
gas supplying the pipeline and was controlling the fire.
Television footage showed a tower of flame at the scene visible for dozens
of miles away. It was later put out.
Story: Clinton: Mideast faces 'perfect storm' of unrest
Jordan said supplies from Egypt were expected to remain halted for a week
until the pipeline was repaired.
A Jordanian energy source told Reuters the kingdom had switched power
stations to burning fuel oil and diesel as a precaution, after the cut-off
of the Egyptian gas supplies that help generate most of Jordan's electricity.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said that it was not
clear whether damage was caused to the pipeline leading to Israel.
"But as a security precaution, Israel temporarily stopped, by its own
initiative, the transfer of gas as procedure dictates," the statement said.
Israel has alternative energy sources and is not likely to experience power
shortages, the statement said.
High alert
The North Sinai source said the attack was carried out by "foreign elements."
"We are now relying on Bedouin leadership in the areas surrounding to help
security apparatus with the investigation and give us hints of any other
destructive acts," he said.
Egypt declared a high state of alert in the area, another security source
said.
Gunmen opened fire on a governorate building in North Sinai but no
casualties were reported.
Abdel Wahhab Mabrouk, the area's governor, told state TV: "By closing the
taps they contained the fire and we assure the people there are no human
losses. It is an act of sabotage."
The attack happened as demonstrations against President Hosni Mubarak
entered their 12th day, with no sign of an end to the confrontation which
has pitted the 82-year-old leader against thousands of anti-government
protesters.
"Saboteurs took advantage of the security situation and blew up the gas
pipeline," a state television correspondent said.
The SITE intelligence group, which monitors al-Qaida and other Islamist
websites, said some groups had been urging Islamic militants to attack the
pipeline to Israel.
"Jihadists suggested that Muslims in Sinai take advantage of Egyptian unrest
and strike the Arish-Ashkelon gas pipeline, arguing that it would have a
major impact on Israel," SITE said.
Israel gets 40 percent of its natural gas from Egypt, a deal built on their
landmark 1979 peace accord.
The company that supplies Egyptian gas to Israel is East Mediterranean Gas (
EMG), and one of the major shareholders in the company is Mubarak associate
and former Egyptian intelligence chief Hussein Salem.
Bedouin grumbles
Opposition groups have long complained that Egyptian gas is sold to Israel
at preferential prices and that the contract with EMG violated bureaucratic
regulations. The government insists it is done on commercial terms and
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