Jihad group says Sinai blast response to leader's death

Militant group Ansar al-Jihad on Sunday claimed responsibility for a blast on a gas pipeline running from Egypt to Israel hours earlier, citing retaliation for the death in Egyptian custody of the group's leader the day before. Muhammad Eid Musleh Hamad, also known as Muhammad Tihi, died on Saturday in his prison cell in Cairo. He was captured by Egyptian security on Nov. 13, and accused of masterminding a series of bombings which have rocked gas pipelines in the Sinai peninsula. Ansar al-Jihad said it carried out the explosion in the Massaeed area west of the Mediterranean coastal town of al-Arish early Sunday. Gas pumping was stopped after the explosion on the pipeline, which supplies Israel and Jordan. Residents reported a large explosion and seeing flames from the area of the blast. The group also attacked Nakhl police station in central Sinai, a Ma'an correspondent said. The same station was hit by rocket propelled grenades last Thursday. Sinai's gas lines have come under attack at least 12 times since Egyptian resident Hosni Mubarak was toppled in 2011. Security in Sinai loosened after Mubarak's fall as the police presence thinned out across Egypt. Egypt's 20-year gas deal with Israel, signed in the Mubarak era, is unpopular with some Egyptians, with critics accusing Israel of not paying enough for the gas. Previous explosions have sometimes led to weeks-long shutdowns along the pipeline, run by Egypt's gas transport company Gasco, a subsidiary of the national gas company EGAS. Egypt said in November it would tighten security measures along the pipeline by installing alarm devices and recruiting security patrols from Bedouin tribesmen in the area. Sinai has long been a restive area, where Bedouins complain of government neglect. It hosts several Red Sea resorts with five-star hotels, but Bedouins say they do not see the benefits. Egypt doubled the gas price for Jordan in October. Jordan said on Monday it would raise electricity prices as of February to cover the rising burden of imported fuel costs after loss of regular Egyptian gas supplies.