Blast at Egypt gas pipeline affects supplies to Israel
05 Feb 2011
Saboteurs blew up a gas pipeline in Egypt's North Sinai province as demonstrators hardened their stance against a recalcitrant government headed by President Hosni Mubarak.
The Egyptian Army immediately stopped the gas flow at the pipeline that supplies gas to Israel, governor of the province said.
The explosion occurred early in the day near the Egyptian town of El Arish, close to the Egyptian-Israeli border.
The explosion, however, did not hit residential areas, he added.
A state television report blamed "terrorists who took advantage of the unstable security situation in the country" for the blast.
The protesters had earlier called for shutting gas supplies to Israel citing security threat.