Bedouins Smuggling Explosives

With the entire Arab world continuously criss-crossed by nomadic tribes, this story shouldn't be surprising. The Sinai Peninsula, in particular, has been populated by Bedouin tribes for many centuries and are known to be close knit and affiliated with terrorists.

From the Arab News:

Al ARISH, Egypt, 29 July 2005 - Egyptian authorities said yesterday they have arrested some Bedouins suspected in smuggling explosives used in carrying out the series of blasts that rocked the Red Sea resort of Sharm El-Sheikh that claimed the lives of 88 people.

"We are quite sure that they helped the bombers by smuggling the explosives through the mountains of Taba and this is progress in our investigations and will lead us to the main perpetrators," a security source told Arab News.

In addition, authorities are trying to negotiate with the Bedouin chieftains to turn over Muhammed Ahmed Fulayfel, believed to be the mastermind behind the Sharm El-Sheikh attack. According to Egyptian Attorney General Maher Abdel Wahed, Fulayfel will be tried in absentia for his part in the deadly Sinai blasts. And, it appears that all the explosives were transported over desert and mountains by Bedouins.