Authorities have identified 30 and arrested five men they believe attacked a police station in North Sinai, security sources said Saturday.
On Friday, a large group of armed men rode through the town of Arish on motorcycles and in cars, waving flags with Islamic slogans and firing in the air, the sources said.
The military early Saturday announced it had arrested five suspects. Security authorities identified 30 others, all residents of North Sinai.
The assailants attacked a police station in Arish and exchanged heavy fire with policemen and army forces. The clashes continued into the night and ended when the assailants fled.
Other security sources told Al-Masry Al-Youm that the men belong to an extremist religious group.
Authorities believe extremist religious groups in Sinai are responsible for other attacks, the sources said. They estimate the groups have about 2000 members.
They believe these groups were also responsible for the Israel gas pipeline bombings and the attacks at Taba, Sharm el-Sheikh and Dahab since 2006.
Authorities also believe these groups were behind the burning of the same police station on 12 February this year, the sources said.
Translated from the Arabic Edition
