AL-ARISH: Egyptian police and army forces tightened security measures in Sinai and along the borders with Israel ahead of the seventh anniversary of the 2004 bombings in the area. The truck bomb attacks occurred on October 7, 2004, leaving more than 30 dead and around 120 injured in the Hilton hotel at the Egyptian border resort of Taba and in two other explosions which hit backpacker beaches near the resort of Nuweiba southwest of Taba, according to Reuters. Police forces set up tight security cordons on El-Salam Bridge overlooking the Suez Canal and a checkpoint for all vehicles entering Sinai through the Martyr Ahmed Hamdy Tunnel connecting the area with other governorates. Security forces also deployed moving and static security cordons over El-Kantara Road and at Al-Arish-Rafah International Road, in addition to imposing strict security measures over touristic destinations in Dahab, Taba, Sharm El-Sheikh and other Sinai hotspots. Armored vehicles and APCs were seen along the borders with Gaza and Israel, as Al-Arish, Rafah and South Sinai were on high security alert. High-ranking personnel said that security measures are tightened every year ahead of the Sinai bombings anniversary, namely after Sinai's security vacuum resulted in spreading the influence of Jihadist militant groups in the area. A source also said that a Jihadist militant group is behind the repeated attacks on the gas pipeline and the Al-Arish police station last July.
