NORTH SINAI, Egypt: Responding to Israeli claims that terrorist cells linked to al-Qaeda and Jihad movements threated Israeli tourists on the Sinai Peninsula, North Sinai Governor Al-Sayyed Mabrouk insists the governorate is free of any terrorist cells and is safe and secure. Mabrouk added that the governorate's residents are keen on maintaining its security through coordination with security bodies. He said there is no threat to tourism in the area. Security sources also denied the Israeli reports and said the news is baseless. The sources added that all entrances and exits of Sinai are completely secured and there are checkpoints everywhere in the governorate. Groups of Sinai's Bedouins also insisted that the area is fully secure, saying no stranger could put his or her feet on the land. The Bedouins said the Israeli statements are provocative and come as a response to the halt of the Egyptian gas flow to Tel Aviv. It is worth mentioning that Israeli National Security body warned its citizens of traveling to Sinai, claiming there are terrorist cells that threaten them.
