The Egyptian army Tuesday arrested four gunmen in the Sinai peninsula as they prepared to detonate a device near the pipeline to Israel near the city of Al-Arish, a security source said. “Security guards near the terminal informed the army of suspicious movements,” the source said. “Members of the armed forces, backed by armoured cars, immediately headed to the region and managed to encircle the four.” Automatic weapons and an explosive device have been seized and the four are being interrogated, he added. The pipeline to Israel has been targe ted five times this year and the Egyptian army and police have launched a joint operation in the Sinai against the attackers who have also attacked a police station in Al-Arish. Around 1,000 soldiers and policemen forces were deployed last Friday and Saturday in northern Sinai to carry out the operation dubbed “Eagle.” Egypt supplies about 40 percent of Israel's natural gas, which is used to produce electricity.
