AL QAIDA PLANNED SINAI BOMBINGS SINCE 2002

JERUSALEM [MENL] -- Israel's intelligence community has assessed that AlQaida began in 2002 to plan multiple suicide bombings against Israelitourists in the Sinai Peninsula. Israeli officials said the intelligence community has determined thatthe Oct. 7 bombings of tourist sites frequented by Israelis in Taba andNueiba was planned and executed by Al Qaida-aligned insurgents. They saidthis was the first successful attempt by Al Qaida against Israel.