Explosion hits Egyptian gas station

Explosion hits Egyptian gas station

Security source has said that saboteurs have blown up a pipeline running through Egypt's North Sinai that supplies gas to Israel and Jordan.

"An unknown armed gang attacked the gas pipeline near Arish city on Wednesday," affecting flow of gas to Israel and Jordan.” The source said.

The source said that authorities had closed the main source of gas supplying the pipeline and were working to extinguish the fire. 

Earlier attack
An earlier attack on the same pipeline, located south of the North Sinai town of el-Arish, was staged on February 5 during an 18-day-uprising that forced Hosni Mubarak from power on February 11.

On Saturday, Egypt's public prosecutor ordered former Energy Minister Sameh Fahmy and six other officials to stand trial on charges of squandering public funds related to the natural gas deal with Israel.

The decision, part of a probe on graft during the 30-year-rule of Mubarak, said the deal in question caused Egypt losses worth more than 714 million dollars and enabled a local businessman to make financial profits. 

Israel gets 40 percent of its natural gas from Egypt, a deal built on their landmark 1979 peace accord.

REUTERS/Williams